5 ms·

Everyone initially believes they can "focus" on two big things at the same time. No one can. He's about to learn this lesson the hard way.

by staunch 16y ago

pclark 16y ago
like Steve Jobs with Apple and Pixar? like Elon Musk with Tesla and SpaceX? like Peter Thiel with Founders Fund and Clarium Capital?
- michaeldhopkins 16y ago
  What's going wrong with Tesla or SpaceX? They both seem successful to me.
  - gyardley 16y ago
    The parent comment is trying to point out that it is in fact possible to focus on two things at once.
    - michaeldhopkins 16y ago
      It's hard to tell because, as others have said, it's not clear that everyone on the list is successfully focusing on two projects.
  - keiferski 16y ago
    I think that's the point - Musk is running both successfully.
- rudiger 16y ago
  Clarium Capital has been performing terribly for years. However, I agree with your general point (that it is possible for one person to focus on two large projects).
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - Herwig 16y ago
    Still, Executive Chairman and CEO are two rather "big" titles. If he can juggle both and be successful I will be impressed. We will never really know how much effort he puts into each role.
- barredo 16y ago
  does Steve Jobs spends as much time/effort in Apple as in Pixar? Does Steve tell Pixar animators a thousand "no" till the animation is done "right"? I would guess no. I think Pixar relies heavily (or at least more) on Lasseter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lasseter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lasseter) than on Steve Jobs ps. I would add Carmack with Armadillo Aerospace & ID Software, altough I dont think he is the 'CEO' of both
  - far33d 16y ago
    Steve worked on-site at Pixar one day a week (Friday) until the Disney acquisition. Day-to-day management went through the executive team, primarily Ed Catmull for technical and operations, and John Lasseter for creative direction.
    - barredo 16y ago
      Thanks for the clarification :-)
- pixx5 16y ago
  Steve Jobs spent 99.999% of his time at Apple.
- cellis 16y ago
  None of those founders were actually successful with the other project. Steve Jobs bought then sold Pixar, and later sat on its board, owning a bunch of shares but not actually being involved operationally. Peter Thiel is not successful because of FF or CC, he's successful because of Facebook and Paypal (both at different times). With Elon Musk, you may have a case but I haven't read enough details to know. The main point the gp is making: Peter Thiel is known for: Paypal and after that Facebook Elon Musk is known for: Paypal and after that Tesla Steve Jobs : enough said.
  - bdotdub 16y ago
    Elon Musk was supposedly almost bankrupt a year or so ago: http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/06/22/on-the-eve-of-an-ipo-tesla-founder-elon-musk-claims-hes-broke/ http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/06/22/on-the-eve-of-an-ipo...
    - pchristensen 16y ago
      Clarification: He was wealthy but illiquid before the Tesla IPO. He did not realize how ungodly expensive his divorce would be - he had to pay for both sides since he was wealthier and his ex was happy to use his money to pay for legal time to maximize her take. Details: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elon-musk/correcting-the-record-abo_b_639625.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elon-musk/correcting-the-recor...
- ryanhuff 16y ago
  When your company (Square) is under competitive threats from multiple directions, you don't decide to start dating another company, even part time.
jpk 16y ago
Whether or not you consider the source credible, there's wisdom in the saying, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24a)
- dotBen 16y ago
  Um, things have really jumped the shark on HN if we're getting bible passages offered as startup advice - and someone upvoted it.
  - jpk 16y ago
    You'll note that the divided-focus argument was already being made. My observation is only that the passage echoes that.
    - dotBen 16y ago
      Yes, thank you, I did notice that. Feel free to make your original point but I think most people would agree bible passages (or those from the Qur'an, Torah, book of Dianetics, etc) don't have a place on HN.
      - stanleydrew 16y ago
        This is absurd. I'm almost completely atheist but I still recognize a useful passage when I see one. The bible is a respected piece of literature. Judge the words based on their merit not on their source.
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
loso 16y ago
Charles Ghosn is the CEO at both Nissan and Renault http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ghosn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ghosn
rdouble 16y ago
Exec dudes in silicon valley are on everyone else's executive boards all the time.

Everyone initially believes they can "focus" on two big things at the same time. No one can. He's about to learn this lesson the hard way.

by staunch 16y ago

Everyone initially believes they can "focus" on two big things at the same time. No one can. He's about to learn this lesson the hard way.

pclark 16y ago

like Steve Jobs with Apple and Pixar? like Elon Musk with Tesla and SpaceX? like Peter Thiel with Founders Fund and Clarium Capital?

michaeldhopkins 16y ago
What's going wrong with Tesla or SpaceX? They both seem successful to me.
- gyardley 16y ago
  The parent comment is trying to point out that it is in fact possible to focus on two things at once.
  - michaeldhopkins 16y ago
    It's hard to tell because, as others have said, it's not clear that everyone on the list is successfully focusing on two projects.
- keiferski 16y ago
  I think that's the point - Musk is running both successfully.
rudiger 16y ago
Clarium Capital has been performing terribly for years. However, I agree with your general point (that it is possible for one person to focus on two large projects).
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- Herwig 16y ago
  Still, Executive Chairman and CEO are two rather "big" titles. If he can juggle both and be successful I will be impressed. We will never really know how much effort he puts into each role.
barredo 16y ago
does Steve Jobs spends as much time/effort in Apple as in Pixar? Does Steve tell Pixar animators a thousand "no" till the animation is done "right"? I would guess no. I think Pixar relies heavily (or at least more) on Lasseter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lasseter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lasseter) than on Steve Jobs ps. I would add Carmack with Armadillo Aerospace & ID Software, altough I dont think he is the 'CEO' of both
- far33d 16y ago
  Steve worked on-site at Pixar one day a week (Friday) until the Disney acquisition. Day-to-day management went through the executive team, primarily Ed Catmull for technical and operations, and John Lasseter for creative direction.
  - barredo 16y ago
    Thanks for the clarification :-)
pixx5 16y ago
Steve Jobs spent 99.999% of his time at Apple.
cellis 16y ago
None of those founders were actually successful with the other project. Steve Jobs bought then sold Pixar, and later sat on its board, owning a bunch of shares but not actually being involved operationally. Peter Thiel is not successful because of FF or CC, he's successful because of Facebook and Paypal (both at different times). With Elon Musk, you may have a case but I haven't read enough details to know. The main point the gp is making: Peter Thiel is known for: Paypal and after that Facebook Elon Musk is known for: Paypal and after that Tesla Steve Jobs : enough said.
- bdotdub 16y ago
  Elon Musk was supposedly almost bankrupt a year or so ago: http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/06/22/on-the-eve-of-an-ipo-tesla-founder-elon-musk-claims-hes-broke/ http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/06/22/on-the-eve-of-an-ipo...
  - pchristensen 16y ago
    Clarification: He was wealthy but illiquid before the Tesla IPO. He did not realize how ungodly expensive his divorce would be - he had to pay for both sides since he was wealthier and his ex was happy to use his money to pay for legal time to maximize her take. Details: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elon-musk/correcting-the-record-abo_b_639625.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elon-musk/correcting-the-recor...
ryanhuff 16y ago
When your company (Square) is under competitive threats from multiple directions, you don't decide to start dating another company, even part time.

jpk 16y ago

Whether or not you consider the source credible, there's wisdom in the saying, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24a)

dotBen 16y ago
Um, things have really jumped the shark on HN if we're getting bible passages offered as startup advice - and someone upvoted it.
- jpk 16y ago
  You'll note that the divided-focus argument was already being made. My observation is only that the passage echoes that.
  - dotBen 16y ago
    Yes, thank you, I did notice that. Feel free to make your original point but I think most people would agree bible passages (or those from the Qur'an, Torah, book of Dianetics, etc) don't have a place on HN.
    - stanleydrew 16y ago
      This is absurd. I'm almost completely atheist but I still recognize a useful passage when I see one. The bible is a respected piece of literature. Judge the words based on their merit not on their source.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]

loso 16y ago

Charles Ghosn is the CEO at both Nissan and Renault http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ghosn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ghosn

rdouble 16y ago

Exec dudes in silicon valley are on everyone else's executive boards all the time.