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I've spent most of my adult life in failed startups in some form or another. Some were funded, most were bootstrapped. Probably 6-8 man-years if I subtract my d

by scottw 16y ago

I've spent most of my adult life in failed startups in some form or another. Some were funded, most were bootstrapped. Probably 6-8 man-years if I subtract my dances with full-time employment (I'm doing contract work now and working on another startup on the side with a partner). I have no regrets. I've asked myself a couple of times if it was worth it, and to be honest I can't think of anything else I would have rather been doing at the time. It's not like playing slot machines, hoping someday to hit the jackpot. It's more like an obscure artist trying to find his niche—you do it because this is who you are. If I never have a big success, I'll die satisfied knowing I was doing what I felt I should be doing. I read a quote from a post on this list some years ago, I wish I could remember the source. But it was something like, "When I look back on my career, I want to say, 'Boy, that was a fun ride!' not 'Boy, I sure felt safe!'"

curt 16y ago
Same, I'm still under 30 but have had two startups "fail" over 4 years. The key is finding what you love and I love creating products. Everything I learned in the failures and successes is invaluable: design, development, contract law, outsourcing, marketing, etc. Did I make mistakes, of course but where else can you get that education in just 4 years, and love every minute of it. Now I'm in the process of moving to SF to find a startup to join. Even in failure I found a market for the technology I developed and came out slightly ahead through creative licensing. The key: never give up. You really find out about yourself when all you have left is your wits. About the companies: The first closed because I was too young and didn't want to move to where I had to, looking back I should have moved. The other failed due to the industry leaders incompetence that endangered human life causing the government to create unforeseen regulations. PS: Unfamiliar with the area so if anyone knows an awesome startup in SF looking for a product guru who can literally design and develop anything (mobile, consumer electronics, web apps, etc) please let me know.
twidlit 16y ago
That quote is awesome. I will use that to recruit people in my startup. Thanks quote-source-that-scottw-cant-remember!
- dkersten 16y ago
  Just don't use it as an excuse to underpay your employees.
dheerosaur 16y ago
Were you referring to this quote? "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!! What a ride!" Source: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.01/ultraman.html http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.01/ultraman.html
mike 16y ago
I think the quote is from Tom Preston-Werner's post "How I Turned Down $300,000 from Microsoft to go Full-Time on GitHub" http://tom.preston-werner.com/2008/10/18/how-i-turned-down-300k.html http://tom.preston-werner.com/2008/10/18/how-i-turned-down-3...
- scottw 16y ago
  That's the one—thanks for digging that up.
- scottw 16y ago
  And how's that for serendipity: the original was posted exactly two years ago to the day.
johnyzee 16y ago
Another point to remember is that if you tried and failed, you'll know that you did what you could. If you never tried you will always have that "what if?" gnawing at your guts.

by scottw 16y ago

curt 16y ago

Same, I'm still under 30 but have had two startups "fail" over 4 years. The key is finding what you love and I love creating products. Everything I learned in the failures and successes is invaluable: design, development, contract law, outsourcing, marketing, etc. Did I make mistakes, of course but where else can you get that education in just 4 years, and love every minute of it. Now I'm in the process of moving to SF to find a startup to join. Even in failure I found a market for the technology I developed and came out slightly ahead through creative licensing. The key: never give up. You really find out about yourself when all you have left is your wits. About the companies: The first closed because I was too young and didn't want to move to where I had to, looking back I should have moved. The other failed due to the industry leaders incompetence that endangered human life causing the government to create unforeseen regulations. PS: Unfamiliar with the area so if anyone knows an awesome startup in SF looking for a product guru who can literally design and develop anything (mobile, consumer electronics, web apps, etc) please let me know.

twidlit 16y ago

That quote is awesome. I will use that to recruit people in my startup. Thanks quote-source-that-scottw-cant-remember!

dkersten 16y ago
Just don't use it as an excuse to underpay your employees.

dheerosaur 16y ago

Were you referring to this quote? "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!! What a ride!" Source: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.01/ultraman.html http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.01/ultraman.html

mike 16y ago

I think the quote is from Tom Preston-Werner's post "How I Turned Down $300,000 from Microsoft to go Full-Time on GitHub" http://tom.preston-werner.com/2008/10/18/how-i-turned-down-300k.html http://tom.preston-werner.com/2008/10/18/how-i-turned-down-3...

scottw 16y ago
That's the one—thanks for digging that up.
scottw 16y ago
And how's that for serendipity: the original was posted exactly two years ago to the day.

johnyzee 16y ago

Another point to remember is that if you tried and failed, you'll know that you did what you could. If you never tried you will always have that "what if?" gnawing at your guts.