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> Maybe successful people in other industries are; I don't know; but not startup founders. [1] I don't understand, "startups" are an industry in their own? Wo

> Maybe successful people in other industries are; I don't know; but not startup founders. [1] I don't understand, "startups" are an industry in their own? Would a food delivery startup not be in the food service industry? A logistics startup not be in the logistics industry?

malanj 11y ago
I think it's quite reasonable to make that argument. The idea that high growth vs. low growth as an attribute matters more than the "industry" a startup operates in. So all high growth companies are more like each other, than high and low growth companies operating in the same industry. Therefore startups (i.e. high growth companies) are their own industry. Nassim Taleb makes a similar argument about size. He says that small things and big things of the same type are more different than they are the same. They should be grouped by size rather than by their nature.
larrys 11y ago
The startup scene has it's own definition of startup. Some, but not necessarily all of the following apply: 1) Younger people 2) Educated (can be self taught) 3) College grads or dropped out of college to do a startup 4) Have more to gain than to lose by participating in a startup. (Little assets, [1] not leaving a traditional job but perhaps going from another "startup") 5) Working primarily with other people's money 6) Has the interest and/or money of "angels" "Vc's" or "incubators". 7) Doing something that could get big and stands a high chance of failure. (In other words, not starting an Italian restaurant that's going to be a single location sauce and cheese place) 8) Located or able to travel and possibly relocate to a place that startups are typically. (Silicon Valley, NYC or the other hubs..) What am I missing? (Please fill in the other things I am almost certainly forgetting). [1] Unless they have family money or have done a previous startup where they hit the pay window.
- onewaystreet 11y ago
  Those are aspects of startups but not a definition. The best definition I think is Paul Graham's: "Startup = Growth" [http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html]. There are many food delivery services that are just local businesses, not startups. The difference is growth, a startup looks to expand to multiple cities, states, and countries.
  - larrys 11y ago
    I don't disagree with what you are saying and I probably should have not used the word "definition" in that sentence. However the reason I used "definition" was because what comes to mind with SCOTUS and porn,[1] that is "we know it when we see it" in a sense that it can't really be defined in the traditional sense and probably never will be. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it
    - emmett 11y ago
      Paul would strongly disagree with the idea that a startup is defined by a random list of traits and that you "know it when you see it". He very clearly defines a startup as a company aiming for (and potentially capable of achieving) a very high rate of growth. Team composition is literally irrelevant.
emmett 11y ago
A startup, by Paul Graham's definition, is any business designed to scale up very quickly. A business aiming for say, 5% weekly growth or higher. http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html

malanj 11y ago

I think it's quite reasonable to make that argument. The idea that high growth vs. low growth as an attribute matters more than the "industry" a startup operates in. So all high growth companies are more like each other, than high and low growth companies operating in the same industry. Therefore startups (i.e. high growth companies) are their own industry. Nassim Taleb makes a similar argument about size. He says that small things and big things of the same type are more different than they are the same. They should be grouped by size rather than by their nature.

larrys 11y ago

The startup scene has it's own definition of startup. Some, but not necessarily all of the following apply: 1) Younger people 2) Educated (can be self taught) 3) College grads or dropped out of college to do a startup 4) Have more to gain than to lose by participating in a startup. (Little assets, [1] not leaving a traditional job but perhaps going from another "startup") 5) Working primarily with other people's money 6) Has the interest and/or money of "angels" "Vc's" or "incubators". 7) Doing something that could get big and stands a high chance of failure. (In other words, not starting an Italian restaurant that's going to be a single location sauce and cheese place) 8) Located or able to travel and possibly relocate to a place that startups are typically. (Silicon Valley, NYC or the other hubs..) What am I missing? (Please fill in the other things I am almost certainly forgetting). [1] Unless they have family money or have done a previous startup where they hit the pay window.

onewaystreet 11y ago
Those are aspects of startups but not a definition. The best definition I think is Paul Graham's: "Startup = Growth" [http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html]. There are many food delivery services that are just local businesses, not startups. The difference is growth, a startup looks to expand to multiple cities, states, and countries.
- larrys 11y ago
  I don't disagree with what you are saying and I probably should have not used the word "definition" in that sentence. However the reason I used "definition" was because what comes to mind with SCOTUS and porn,[1] that is "we know it when we see it" in a sense that it can't really be defined in the traditional sense and probably never will be. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it
  - emmett 11y ago
    Paul would strongly disagree with the idea that a startup is defined by a random list of traits and that you "know it when you see it". He very clearly defines a startup as a company aiming for (and potentially capable of achieving) a very high rate of growth. Team composition is literally irrelevant.

emmett 11y ago

A startup, by Paul Graham's definition, is any business designed to scale up very quickly. A business aiming for say, 5% weekly growth or higher. http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html http://www.paulgraham.com/growth.html