> Why, then, are so many founders so reluctant to invest even 500 or 1,000 hours upfront to be sure that, when they’re done, the business they’re building will

> Why, then, are so many founders so reluctant to invest even 500 or 1,000 hours upfront to be sure that, when they’re done, the business they’re building will face genuine, substantial demand or enthusiasm. Because starting a startup isn't really a rational decision. Or perhaps, more conservatively, maximizing the value of a business isn't the overriding reason why people start businesses. Why do coders spend 2 days automating a task that won't consume 2 days of manual time over the next year? Because they like to code, and they don't like data entry. This is rational, I suppose, as long as we don't believe them when they say the goal is to save time.