37 ms·

I think it's no coincidence that the likes of Page and Brin and Zuckerberg never really intended to start businesses. I think it's no accident that Warren Buffe

by revorad 16y ago

I think it's no coincidence that the likes of Page and Brin and Zuckerberg never really intended to start businesses. I think it's no accident that Warren Buffett still drives an old Cadillac and lives in his old suburban house. I can think of a few counter-examples - Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, Felix Dennis.

enjo 16y ago
There are a lot of examples on an even much larger scale. I know two folks who have sold businesses and now live in Hawaii doing practically nothing. It's really not that uncommon. It's just that those folks fade into memory while the workaholics continue to work and increase in overall profile. It really feels a lot like the 90 hour work week insanity of the tech boom. For years after that I encountered business-types who would enthusiastically tell me during interviews that they're "the type of company where developers keep a sleeping bag under their desk". Apparently that's the key to success, except that very few of the startups I've encountered actually operate that way.
- nostrademons 16y ago
  A bunch of startups that I've encountered operate that way, but there seems to be a strong negative correlation between sleeping at the office and the eventual success of the startup. The ones I know that succeed work hard, often 9-10 hour days, but their employees have weekends and aren't at the office all night long.
roel_v 16y ago
Bill Gates had a $5m trust fund when he started Microsoft. He never had to worry if his next rent check would bounce. He had peace of mind to do whatever he wanted and if it didn't work out, ah well, nothing lost. That a whole different position (mentally) to start in as someone who will destroy his own life as well as his families when his company tanks. The others I don't know, maybe they are truly 'self-made', like Oprah.

37 ms·

I think it's no coincidence that the likes of Page and Brin and Zuckerberg never really intended to start businesses. I think it's no accident that Warren Buffe

by revorad 16y ago

enjo 16y ago
There are a lot of examples on an even much larger scale. I know two folks who have sold businesses and now live in Hawaii doing practically nothing. It's really not that uncommon. It's just that those folks fade into memory while the workaholics continue to work and increase in overall profile. It really feels a lot like the 90 hour work week insanity of the tech boom. For years after that I encountered business-types who would enthusiastically tell me during interviews that they're "the type of company where developers keep a sleeping bag under their desk". Apparently that's the key to success, except that very few of the startups I've encountered actually operate that way.
- nostrademons 16y ago
  A bunch of startups that I've encountered operate that way, but there seems to be a strong negative correlation between sleeping at the office and the eventual success of the startup. The ones I know that succeed work hard, often 9-10 hour days, but their employees have weekends and aren't at the office all night long.
roel_v 16y ago
Bill Gates had a $5m trust fund when he started Microsoft. He never had to worry if his next rent check would bounce. He had peace of mind to do whatever he wanted and if it didn't work out, ah well, nothing lost. That a whole different position (mentally) to start in as someone who will destroy his own life as well as his families when his company tanks. The others I don't know, maybe they are truly 'self-made', like Oprah.