The gold rush is a good metaphor. Few are willing to dash off into the wilderness for no good reason, but many are willing to do so for a chance at profit. Th

The gold rush is a good metaphor. Few are willing to dash off into the wilderness for no good reason, but many are willing to do so for a chance at profit. The problem with profit potential is, after it becomes profit likelihood, the second, following wave is inevitably better capitalized. The only way to survive is to strike it big and then entrench hard enough that you can't be dislodged with any surfeit of competitor funding (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook). And then, congratulations, you've become what you used to hate.