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Funny how some of it seems like good common sense and then you get > Some men have a foolish habit of telling their business secrets. If they make money they l

Funny how some of it seems like good common sense and then you get > Some men have a foolish habit of telling their business secrets. If they make money they like to tell their neighbors how it was done. Nothing is gained by this, and ofttimes much is lost. Say nothing about your profits, your hopes, your expectations, your intentions. And this should apply to letters as well as to conversation. Goethe makes Mephistophiles say: “Never write a letter nor destroy one.” Business men must write letters, but they should be careful what they put in them. If you are losing money, be specially cautious and not tell of it, or you will lose your reputation. In 2019, it seems openness and transparency (eg Buffer) can form the foundations of a profitable strategy

chatmasta 8y ago
In this case Buffer is also a result of selection bias, since you do not have data on more private companies. I'm also skeptical of the attribution of Buffer's success to their openness; Buffer is successful first and foremost because it's a good product that works and was released at an opportune time. The fact that they are an "open company" is likely, at best, a small marketing advantage.
coldtea 8y ago
>In 2019, it seems openness and transparency (eg Buffer) can form the foundations of a profitable strategy As an exception, not as a rule. Business espionage anyone?
Balgair 8y ago
In The Count of Monte Cristo, the Count ruins Danglers' fortune via bond market manipulation per his revenge plans. One of the ways he keeps track of how the ruination progress is via Danglers' own words. At first, Danglers boasts loudly in parties about how much he has lost, but eventually he is cowed and no longer talks about money or his fortune. The Count keep track of his boisterousness as a barometer of his revenge and it's progress. Its a great book and well worth the read, despite it's size.
- valesco 8y ago
  It is really a superheros story, just subtler and more dramatic.
- billfruit 8y ago
  The Count of Monte Cristo, is such a rollicking story from beginning to end, almost the entire 1300+ pages.
lozaning 8y ago
"Those who know dont tell and those that tell dont know" - something an uncle used to tell me as a little kid.
- Jach 8y ago
  It's from the Tao Te Ching: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Code:gff,sm,jhmd,jc,rh/section:56 https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Code:gff,sm,jhmd,jc,rh/sectio...

chatmasta 8y ago

In this case Buffer is also a result of selection bias, since you do not have data on more private companies. I'm also skeptical of the attribution of Buffer's success to their openness; Buffer is successful first and foremost because it's a good product that works and was released at an opportune time. The fact that they are an "open company" is likely, at best, a small marketing advantage.

coldtea 8y ago

>In 2019, it seems openness and transparency (eg Buffer) can form the foundations of a profitable strategy As an exception, not as a rule. Business espionage anyone?

Balgair 8y ago

In The Count of Monte Cristo, the Count ruins Danglers' fortune via bond market manipulation per his revenge plans. One of the ways he keeps track of how the ruination progress is via Danglers' own words. At first, Danglers boasts loudly in parties about how much he has lost, but eventually he is cowed and no longer talks about money or his fortune. The Count keep track of his boisterousness as a barometer of his revenge and it's progress. Its a great book and well worth the read, despite it's size.

valesco 8y ago
It is really a superheros story, just subtler and more dramatic.
billfruit 8y ago
The Count of Monte Cristo, is such a rollicking story from beginning to end, almost the entire 1300+ pages.

lozaning 8y ago

"Those who know dont tell and those that tell dont know" - something an uncle used to tell me as a little kid.

Jach 8y ago
It's from the Tao Te Ching: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Code:gff,sm,jhmd,jc,rh/section:56 https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Code:gff,sm,jhmd,jc,rh/sectio...