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Patrick, I think you are well aware that much of the difference between your views on this issue and those of the majority of the startup community stems from a
by revorad 16y ago
Patrick, I think you are well aware that much of the difference between your views on this issue and those of the majority of the startup community stems from a fundamental disagreement on the definition of a startup. As you pointed out yesterday (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2382580 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2382580), we waste too much time on naming things.
So, why don't we simply agree that you are in a different business than the OP's company?
You are a one-man operation who scales by outsourcing; they are a team who scale by hiring through investment ($1M).
You want careful, measured growth; they want superfast growth, whatever the cost.
You are an efficient time manager, who's built "passive" income and chooses to spend a lot of time on HN just for fun; they work crazy hours in the hope of making it really big some day, even if the personal cost today is high.
I'm sure a typical overworked startup could benefit from adopting some of your ways, but it is equally hard for them to see your point as it is for you to see theirs. You haven't been on the other side.
- profquail 16y agothey work crazy hours in the hope of making it really big some day, even if the personal cost today is high. When you say, "they", you're talking about entrepreneurs who have made a personal choice to make that sacrifice; or, a team of entrepreneurs who have agreed, amongst themselves, to all make that sacrifice together. I read Patrick's argument as railing against the kind of "entrepreneurs" who are really just free-loading, glorified managers that get angry when anyone on the team starts "slacking" (i.e., working less than 80-100 hours / week) because they're relying on the hard work of other people to bring them their fortune instead of actually doing anything themselves.
- revorad 16y agoI don't think founders are conning employees to exploit them. Employees should be well aware of what they are getting into. There are plenty of well-paying normal jobs available out there.
- zasz 16y agoPatrick is talking about his life as a Japanese salaryman, where 12 (14?) hour workdays are the daily norm at his company, and, if I recall correctly, there are no weekends. He is not talking about Bingo Card Creator.