Ben Horowitz’s Best Startup Advice

https://medium.com/@producthunt/ben-horowitz-s-best-startup-advice-7e8c09c8de1b

by prostoalex • 11 years ago

139 14 11 years ago

medium.com

rrhoover• 11 years ago

My favorite quote: "If you are driven by social signals, you shouldn’t be an entrepreneur."

aswanson• 11 years ago

Mine too. So much embedded in that simple phrase. Like a Nas verse.

dharma1• 11 years ago

bit of a mouthful for a verse ;)

ThomPete• 11 years ago

Mine too. It just encapsulates the very challenge of being someone who stands for something.

fit2rule• 11 years ago

Can you give an example of how this may be true?

jsonne• 11 years ago

Very cool interview. This quote:

"He’s known for being both straightforward and kind — an uncommon cocktail of no-bullshit and no-asshole."

Really succinctly explains why I'm such a huge fan of his. He says what needs to be said, and he does it in a kind way.

yukis• 11 years ago

Great read, thanks. "Follow your contribution not passion." - something to think about.

nerdwaller• 11 years ago

Fortunately, at least in my experience, those often align fairly well. Definitely a worthwhile read.

tajen• 11 years ago

Which famous entrepreneur said "From a million dollars, everything is your passion"?

ci5er• 11 years ago

I've found (prior to knowing the words found in his book) that if you ask the question: "What is your passion?", you will get a different answer (A) than if you discuss what the person thinks their top contribution could/should be (B).

That said, people do seem to become quite passionate about following their contribution, once an A/B list is put in front of them.

So, I guess I'm saying that: 1) I agree they can be quite well aligned, but 2) People sometimes need help getting there because the framing is different enough that it doesn't occur to them to think it through this way.

mianos• 11 years ago

Start-up advice on what to think of start-up advice: "turning popular advice on its head".

rokhayakebe• 11 years ago

I mean just look at how the guy ended his post. The last thing you would expect. It's hard not to like him.

pacifi30• 11 years ago

This was a pretty dope read. Ben has the ability to say things in the most easily understandable way.

thyagobr• 11 years ago

I believe Aristoteles said something on those lines a long time ago. I don't see this flipping anything on its head. The conventional function-driven thought of the human being, as if everyone had to perform a duty, and to make the world better - and, even if they had to, what exactly makes the world better? For the sheep, a world without eagles would be better - but the eagles aren't bad, they just have to eat.

Or, maybe, I just didn't understand what he meant =]

Ben Horowitz’s Best Startup Advice

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