4 ms·

In the bio: >> Ben has founded or taken a leading role in 5 businesses in everything from software development to food and entertainment. You can't be good at

In the bio: >> Ben has founded or taken a leading role in 5 businesses in everything from software development to food and entertainment. You can't be good at anything if you change industry every few years. It takes at least a decade to be truly good at something. If you're selling a service that you're not actually good at, you're just a snake oil salesman. Your success doesn't depend on how talented you are, but on how good you are at fooling people.

dmix 8y ago
Unless you delegate really well, have knack for understanding customers worldviews (regardless of domain) which is essential for good UX, and/or have good business partners in each case with domain experience...
ramoz 8y ago
I disagree. Being able to adapt to many business arenas is a skill. This can be applied to anything. eg The software dev that has spent the last 10 years doing Java, can still be outshined by a recent college grad who is able to adapt/learn quick and can produce more "creative" or effective outcomes.
- jondubois 8y ago
  I've worked as an engineer in over 14 different software companies of all sizes over the last decade (including one Y Combinator company for 1 year) and I've interacted with hundreds of top engineers but I've never once seen a talented engineer 'straight out of college'. There is no room for lone creative geniuses in the software industry. It's more science than art. On the other hand, I've met plenty of very good engineers in their 40s; even those engineers who were never passionate about the work tend to become really good at it after a couple of decades.
jessaustin 8y ago
There is a limit, but some of the best people I've worked with have changed industries multiple times. There isn't only one way to do things. Of course your diagnosis of this particular author is probably correct.

4 ms·

In the bio: >> Ben has founded or taken a leading role in 5 businesses in everything from software development to food and entertainment. You can't be good at

by jondubois 8y ago

dmix 8y ago
Unless you delegate really well, have knack for understanding customers worldviews (regardless of domain) which is essential for good UX, and/or have good business partners in each case with domain experience...
ramoz 8y ago
I disagree. Being able to adapt to many business arenas is a skill. This can be applied to anything. eg The software dev that has spent the last 10 years doing Java, can still be outshined by a recent college grad who is able to adapt/learn quick and can produce more "creative" or effective outcomes.
- jondubois 8y ago
  I've worked as an engineer in over 14 different software companies of all sizes over the last decade (including one Y Combinator company for 1 year) and I've interacted with hundreds of top engineers but I've never once seen a talented engineer 'straight out of college'. There is no room for lone creative geniuses in the software industry. It's more science than art. On the other hand, I've met plenty of very good engineers in their 40s; even those engineers who were never passionate about the work tend to become really good at it after a couple of decades.
jessaustin 8y ago
There is a limit, but some of the best people I've worked with have changed industries multiple times. There isn't only one way to do things. Of course your diagnosis of this particular author is probably correct.