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And why isn't a barber shop a startup? Great Clips and Super Cuts were once new, fledgling businesses. Not charging money, taking VC investment, joining an inc

by dkrich 13y ago

And why isn't a barber shop a startup? Great Clips and Super Cuts were once new, fledgling businesses. Not charging money, taking VC investment, joining an incubator, and creating a stupid name that ends in "fy" or "ly" a startup does not make. BTW, I've read the essay. I like most of what he writes, but I have a fundamental disagreement on this one and just because it comes from the hands of PG does not make it gospel. What does this mean, "designed to grow fast?" Only technology businesses can achieve overnight billion dollar valuations, so are we saying that anything that is not in the field of tech is not a startup? If you are aiming to become the next Google, Facebook, or Twitter, good luck to you but you're going to fail. Most businesses that drive our economy were not overnight success stories. Starbucks, Wal-Mart, and Macy's were once single store fronts whose founders were not aiming for "hocky-stick" growth out of the gate. Ask John Paul DeJoria about what a startup is. The guy started by selling fucking shampoo to salons out of his car in Los Angeles when he was 36 and now owns Patron. Yes, the Tequila company. Watch this video for some perspective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hndfUwPpzyQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hndfUwPpzyQ

greghinch 13y ago
There's nothing to say a bootstrapped company can't become a a startup. When they start going for growth Edit: See below, I was referring to accelerated growth
- eclipxe 13y ago
  Please, just re-read what you wrote and tell me you're saying this with a straight face.
  - greghinch 13y ago
    I should have prefaced it as "accelerated" growth. But I stand by that.
- coolsunglasses 13y ago
  Self-fulfilling stereotype. PG doesn't exclusively define the startup world. Is there really any point in Github's development that anyone would've doubted it was a startup?
- danmaz74 13y ago
  I'm glad you changed your mind. Maybe you could make an amendment to your first post, if you really mean this. bootstrapped != not built to grow
marchra 13y ago
By PG's definition Pinterest (two years lost in the desert) would not be a startup
31reasons 13y ago
Couldn't agree more.
enraged_camel 13y ago
You are free to disagree with PG. Doing so doesn't change the fact that he is the sort of authority who gets cited in Wikipedia articles on the topic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company The term "startup" originated during the dot-com bubble. The very origin of the term means it is supposed to apply primarily to new tech companies who are designed to grow fast. A barber shop is not a startup. It is a small business. This doesn't make it any less legitimate as a venture. It just distinguishes it in terms of the nature of its business and industry. edit: if you're going to downvote, at least have the courage to voice your disagreement as a reply.
- trotsky 13y ago
  The term "startup" originated during the dot-com bubble. Wow, you get some bullshit ideas about business if you get your mba at wikipedia.
  - enraged_camel 13y ago
    I may have quoted it wrong. Wikipedia says it became popular during the dotcom bubble.
    - trotsky 13y ago
      Let me try this again. When I said "Wow, you ..." I was really saying: "If all you're contributing is rephrased sections of wikipedia, perhaps you shouldn't be trying to sound like an authority"
- drumdance 13y ago
  It definitely pre-dates the dotcom bubble. I think I first heard the word in Inc Magazine in the early nineties. Edit: Also, it was only during the bubble that you saw startups go from zero to IPO in two years, and moonshot IPOs were unheard of prior to Netscape. The conventional wisdom pre-Netscape is that you had to be profitable and growing for 6-8 quarters before the IPO. A "moonshot" IPO was one that bumped 10-15% on the first day. When Boston Chicken went public their stock was up something like 50% on the first day and it was major news.
thatinstant 13y ago
I completely agree with this. Web/Tech are not the only industries that have startups. However, I do believe the "gotta have it right NOW" consumer attitude that the tech industry creates also creates the same kind of tech-focused venture capitalist.

by dkrich 13y ago

greghinch 13y ago

There's nothing to say a bootstrapped company can't become a a startup. When they start going for growth Edit: See below, I was referring to accelerated growth

eclipxe 13y ago
Please, just re-read what you wrote and tell me you're saying this with a straight face.
- greghinch 13y ago
  I should have prefaced it as "accelerated" growth. But I stand by that.
coolsunglasses 13y ago
Self-fulfilling stereotype. PG doesn't exclusively define the startup world. Is there really any point in Github's development that anyone would've doubted it was a startup?
danmaz74 13y ago
I'm glad you changed your mind. Maybe you could make an amendment to your first post, if you really mean this. bootstrapped != not built to grow

marchra 13y ago

By PG's definition Pinterest (two years lost in the desert) would not be a startup

31reasons 13y ago

Couldn't agree more.

enraged_camel 13y ago

You are free to disagree with PG. Doing so doesn't change the fact that he is the sort of authority who gets cited in Wikipedia articles on the topic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company The term "startup" originated during the dot-com bubble. The very origin of the term means it is supposed to apply primarily to new tech companies who are designed to grow fast. A barber shop is not a startup. It is a small business. This doesn't make it any less legitimate as a venture. It just distinguishes it in terms of the nature of its business and industry. edit: if you're going to downvote, at least have the courage to voice your disagreement as a reply.

trotsky 13y ago
The term "startup" originated during the dot-com bubble. Wow, you get some bullshit ideas about business if you get your mba at wikipedia.
- enraged_camel 13y ago
  I may have quoted it wrong. Wikipedia says it became popular during the dotcom bubble.
  - trotsky 13y ago
    Let me try this again. When I said "Wow, you ..." I was really saying: "If all you're contributing is rephrased sections of wikipedia, perhaps you shouldn't be trying to sound like an authority"
drumdance 13y ago
It definitely pre-dates the dotcom bubble. I think I first heard the word in Inc Magazine in the early nineties. Edit: Also, it was only during the bubble that you saw startups go from zero to IPO in two years, and moonshot IPOs were unheard of prior to Netscape. The conventional wisdom pre-Netscape is that you had to be profitable and growing for 6-8 quarters before the IPO. A "moonshot" IPO was one that bumped 10-15% on the first day. When Boston Chicken went public their stock was up something like 50% on the first day and it was major news.

thatinstant 13y ago

I completely agree with this. Web/Tech are not the only industries that have startups. However, I do believe the "gotta have it right NOW" consumer attitude that the tech industry creates also creates the same kind of tech-focused venture capitalist.