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If someone has changing the world as their primary goal, and they decide that a startup is the best path toward that goal, I don't really understand why they sh
by samscully 13y ago
If someone has changing the world as their primary goal, and they decide that a startup is the best path toward that goal, I don't really understand why they shouldn't do that? To me a startup is an amoral vehicle for achieving its founder's ends, so if they want to have changing the world as priority number one, and are satisfied with just breaking even, that is up to them (and similarly if turning a profit is top priority).
Of course if it doesn't at least break even eventually, a startup is not really a useful tool for achieving anything.
- drrotmos 13y agoTo you, yes, but to the law and perhaps more importantly – to the relevant tax agency, a business is meant for turning a profit. If the founders aren't interested in turning a profit, a charity will serve them better.
- sillysaurus 13y agoSpaceX's goal is to get to mars, not to turn a profit. And that's just one counterexample of hundreds.
- samscully 13y agoIANAL, but as far as I understand a company director only has a 'duty to promote the success of the company' in the UK [1]. I think it is similar in the US. 'Success of the company' doesn't strictly have to mean making a profit, if the shareholders don't want it to. [1] http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2013/01/07/companies-do-not-have-a-legal-duty-to-maximise-profit-or-to-avoid-tax/ http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2013/01/07/companies-do-n...