4 ms·

DHH's writing sort of radiates a sense of superiority.

by forgottenacc57 9y ago

tybit 9y ago
Yeah, he has a decent point but someone commissioning custom super cars isn't in the best position to make it.
- tawayyy 9y ago
  Doesn't this make his point stronger? Even with a company that does not want to grow indefinitely, he can still afford super cars. Reality is that unicorns only benefit VCs. Most founders should not take any VC money and try to bootstrap and get, like, N million dollars businesses, not to try to achieve billion dollar businesses. The former is 1000x times simpler.
  - davidivadavid 9y ago
    It doesn't make his point stronger because his company is already comparatively huge if you look at most startups who supposedly fall prey to the "growth at all costs" mentality. His point is moot because a lot of startups will agree with him when they reach the scale of Basecamp. They're not there yet, so they need to think about growth. Meanwhile, companies who are huge and going after more growth don't give a fuck about what DHH writes. It feels like there's a pretty significant message/audience mismatch.
- davidivadavid 9y ago
  That's also what I find most irksome about DHH. "Hey guys, don't get too rich please — just look at me and my millionaire lifestyle and enjoy."
shadowhunter 9y ago
I'd have a sense of superiority too if I was that good looking and smart
norswap 9y ago
To you, the Dalai Lama must be the biggest asshole ever. But I beg to differ, he just tells people that he believes the prevalent zeitgeist is wrong. I don't see that as particularly brave, cowardly, humble, or arrogant. He just says what he means (without, it should be said, taking cheap shots at anyone), as it should be.
cko 9y ago
Several thoughts: You could read the article as sour grapes. Like his business didn't reach unicorn valuation, so well, that wasn't his goal in the first place. I remember seeing a YouTube interview (I believe it was on TWIST) when he claimed there was no hypothetical amount of money he would take (billions, etc) to sell his business. The cynical and greedy part of me found it incredulous. Is this guy in denial? Surely you can take the billions, and find some other project to have fun with? Or is Basecamp his only life calling? The less skeptical side of me envies that mindset. I'm at a point in my life where I clearly have enough. My passive cashflow covers my expenses 3 times over. I'm 31 and If I continue working full-time I'm on par to make $200k next year. But almost every moment of the day I'm obsessed with trying to find my Basecamp. When is it enough? Maybe I should adopt some kids. I hope that didn't sound like my own version of humblebrag - the fact is, I'm dissatisfied and there's no reason I should be.
- triangleman 9y ago
  Actually there are many reasons not to sell. If someone is offering billions and you think it's worth millions, then either you're right and the buyer is wrong, or the buyer is right and you're wrong. Or the buyer wants to make a risky play on the business you don't think is right. Maybe the buyer is offering illiquid stock or something. In any case, if you enjoy the business you have, and feel it is making enough money, then why would you sell it? It's risky to sell, it could be a mistake for various reasons, seen and unforseen. You're putting your baby in someone else's hands and you will have to find a new job. So that's a big change already. There are many reasons you would want to sell too, of course. Just saying it's not clear cut just because of valuations.
sotojuan 9y ago
IDK about DHH but Jason Fried, also a writer in this blog (and co-founder, I think) makes similar points about growth, startups, etc. I do agree with them that the "we must be the biggest!!!" attitude of SV/NYC startups is harmful and unrealistic. I'm not sure if Basecamp is the best counter example (though I do like their 4 day summer work weeks), but I wish more tech businesses were just that - simple businesses.

DHH's writing sort of radiates a sense of superiority.

tybit 9y ago

Yeah, he has a decent point but someone commissioning custom super cars isn't in the best position to make it.

tawayyy 9y ago
Doesn't this make his point stronger? Even with a company that does not want to grow indefinitely, he can still afford super cars. Reality is that unicorns only benefit VCs. Most founders should not take any VC money and try to bootstrap and get, like, N million dollars businesses, not to try to achieve billion dollar businesses. The former is 1000x times simpler.
- davidivadavid 9y ago
  It doesn't make his point stronger because his company is already comparatively huge if you look at most startups who supposedly fall prey to the "growth at all costs" mentality. His point is moot because a lot of startups will agree with him when they reach the scale of Basecamp. They're not there yet, so they need to think about growth. Meanwhile, companies who are huge and going after more growth don't give a fuck about what DHH writes. It feels like there's a pretty significant message/audience mismatch.
davidivadavid 9y ago
That's also what I find most irksome about DHH. "Hey guys, don't get too rich please — just look at me and my millionaire lifestyle and enjoy."

shadowhunter 9y ago

I'd have a sense of superiority too if I was that good looking and smart

norswap 9y ago

To you, the Dalai Lama must be the biggest asshole ever. But I beg to differ, he just tells people that he believes the prevalent zeitgeist is wrong. I don't see that as particularly brave, cowardly, humble, or arrogant. He just says what he means (without, it should be said, taking cheap shots at anyone), as it should be.

cko 9y ago

Several thoughts: You could read the article as sour grapes. Like his business didn't reach unicorn valuation, so well, that wasn't his goal in the first place. I remember seeing a YouTube interview (I believe it was on TWIST) when he claimed there was no hypothetical amount of money he would take (billions, etc) to sell his business. The cynical and greedy part of me found it incredulous. Is this guy in denial? Surely you can take the billions, and find some other project to have fun with? Or is Basecamp his only life calling? The less skeptical side of me envies that mindset. I'm at a point in my life where I clearly have enough. My passive cashflow covers my expenses 3 times over. I'm 31 and If I continue working full-time I'm on par to make $200k next year. But almost every moment of the day I'm obsessed with trying to find my Basecamp. When is it enough? Maybe I should adopt some kids. I hope that didn't sound like my own version of humblebrag - the fact is, I'm dissatisfied and there's no reason I should be.

triangleman 9y ago
Actually there are many reasons not to sell. If someone is offering billions and you think it's worth millions, then either you're right and the buyer is wrong, or the buyer is right and you're wrong. Or the buyer wants to make a risky play on the business you don't think is right. Maybe the buyer is offering illiquid stock or something. In any case, if you enjoy the business you have, and feel it is making enough money, then why would you sell it? It's risky to sell, it could be a mistake for various reasons, seen and unforseen. You're putting your baby in someone else's hands and you will have to find a new job. So that's a big change already. There are many reasons you would want to sell too, of course. Just saying it's not clear cut just because of valuations.

sotojuan 9y ago

IDK about DHH but Jason Fried, also a writer in this blog (and co-founder, I think) makes similar points about growth, startups, etc. I do agree with them that the "we must be the biggest!!!" attitude of SV/NYC startups is harmful and unrealistic. I'm not sure if Basecamp is the best counter example (though I do like their 4 day summer work weeks), but I wish more tech businesses were just that - simple businesses.