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I am sorry you had such an experience. Startup life has pros and cons, and situationally varied. I've worked on several startup ventures of my own and nothing i
by systemvoltage 5y ago
I am sorry you had such an experience. Startup life has pros and cons, and situationally varied. I've worked on several startup ventures of my own and nothing in the world is more satisfying than "skin in the game". It feels real and impactful. I didn't work more than 8-10 hours a day. People using your products and gratification of the fact that you/your-team built is so much more real to me. Friendships I've formed in these years are the strongest bonds of my life and have kept me mentally in better state than otherwise toiling in a FAANG job.
> The average multi-million $ enterprise company creates CRUD apps and sell them like they are saving humanity. It is just sales all the way down.
Perhaps, I suggest working on something else other than CRUD apps? That sounds horrible. Startups can vary from Space industry to biotech, from defense to green tech.
> I am happy, happier than I even have been. I focus on what matters to me - empowering people, open source software, and building a sustainable business. I am never doing the crazy startup life again. Period.
Not all startup lives are like this. I guess we have a different definition of startup life. Startups are empowering people, building open source software and building sustainable businesses. Overall, there is a huge spectrum of startups you can work on - from shitty CRUD apps to Boston Dynamics.
- pm90 5y agoIt may not be useful to look at exceptions, rather let’s look at the median. Most startups fail, most people that work at startups get burned out. If people choose to engage in these startups, I hope they do so with open eyes.
- systemvoltage 5y agoI agree about most startups fail. I wanted to share my perspective that's totally opposite of OPs for those who are thinking about working for startups or becoming founders.
- brainless 5y agoI think you do not understand. I have more "skin" in the game than you might think. I am a founder who understands business, finance, talks to users, takes support tickets, can talk to investors, and write in 3 different programming languages, setup the entire software pipeline myself. I am more hands-on than you might have seen around. Trust me on that. Your definition of "skin" does not need to be mine. I want to have impact, for those who are not being taken care of. I am tired of investor led companies making the rich richer. I do not belong in that world.
- systemvoltage 5y agoThere are plenty of startups that are bootstrapped and without investor pressure: https://www.indiehackers.com/ https://www.indiehackers.com/
- brainless 5y agoYes I totally agree and I am a fan of Courtland Allen or Rob Walling. They are not mainstream and in my opinion that is where it is going wrong. We have too much emphasis from multi-million $ invested (and mostly non-sustainable) businesses. The success ratio for ridiculously invested startups can be tiny, and yet the investor will make money on the unicorns that pass the great filter. The others will not be heard of, will suffer. We celebrate the exceptions and ignore what an alternative could be if sustainable/profitable smaller businesses were the norm. A healthier society where we would normalize 8 hours of sleep every day, or spending time with neighbors, for our entire adult lives to start with.
- JKCalhoun 5y agoI like you.
- brainless 5y agoThank you, :hugs:
- ganzuul 5y agoIs there a forum for like-minded people? I went and acquired all the technical skills I need but then discovered that I have zero interest in the profit motive.
- periheli0n 5y agoSounds like you're ready for academia!
- ganzuul 5y ago
- codeisawesome 5y agoI have no idea why you are so heavily downvoted for giving a rational response countering with your own experiences…?