On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 20:55, drllau <[email protected]> wrote:
> http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2010/10/stop-lying-on-stage.html > > - mythological-industrial startup (garage to giant) actually a messy > journey > - firms dramatically overstate level of certainty at every stage of > the process > - vanity metrics: companies giving the appearance of sharing > information while actually engaging in spin or outright deception > Yes, you're right, and while this information isn't new, if you're sitting watching the live stream of Web2.0Conference/TechCrunchDisrupt/AllThingsD and see all these confident folks on stage telling their story, it is really easy to be fooled. Mark Suster is one of the few VCs with an ability to tell it like it is and do it with class. Read this for a sense of how it feels (and yes, I feel it, and so does every other honest entrepreneur I know): http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/08/28/start-ups-are-all-naked-in-the-mirror/ I make a point now of being honest when people ask "how is it going", and the sound of them exhaling when they realize they don't have to keep their gut pulled in and pretend all is rosy and they're not quietly shitting themselves about how to make it all come together is like a train in a subway. And then we relax, and we learn. The lesson for Aussie entrepreneurs far far away: they're just as human as you are. If they can do it, why can't you? > - advisors/VCs extol right stuff for entrepreneurship when in reality a) idea looks a little dubious, > b) career often nonlinear, > c) team somewhat dysfunctional, and > d) pointed lack of superhuman design skills or market prediction > e) all of the above. > Even the VCs are arguing about what works best. Google Ventures has quant. CRV keeps lean, very lean. If everyone knew 100% who was going to win the Melbourne Cup now it would take the fun out of it. The only important given - that the entrepreneur thinks they're going to win the race. And not because they're crazy or deluded. Because they have a plan, are passionate, and are prepared to change direction and accept they were wrong. And by the race, I don't mean their current business, or their current product. And, by the way, they're only racing against themselves. > I suppose angel investing is the triumph of hope over experience then. > Financially, it is a portfolio numbers game. Emotionally, it is so much more, a sense of pride that only parents get watching their children grow up. Sharing deeply in someone else's victories and triumphs - and their failures - is what life is about. The rest is all just someone else keeping score. > > Lawrence > http://nz.linkedin.com/in/drllau > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach > Australia mailing list. Vist http://siliconbeachaustralia.org for more > > Forum rules > 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > 2) No jobs postings. You can use http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs > > > To post to this group, send email to > [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en > -- Geoff McQueen Founder & CEO Hiive Systems Phone: 1.877.425.7315 (US) - 1800 2 44483 (AU) Cell/Mobile: 650.450.4384 (US) - 0414.678.466 (AU) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Vist http://siliconbeachaustralia.org for more Forum rules 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. 2) No jobs postings. You can use http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en
