Ask HN: Why did your startup fail?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5648678

by simantel • 13 years ago

11 6 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

minimaxir• 13 years ago

I had asked a similar question about 8 months ago. [1]

joshkaufman's comment made good points:

---

In my experience, pretty much every business closes for one of three primary reasons:

1. The business runs out of money and/or available financing.

2. The owners decide the business isn't returning enough to justify further investment of money or effort.

3. There's some irreconcilable difference of opinion between owners, leading to an impasse on a critical decision and dissolution of the business.

---

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4496102

scottbartell• 13 years ago

Or all three e.g.) my last startup. Boy was that stressful...

keefe2• 13 years ago

Startups don't fail, engineers pivot... I spent my time building skill and a particular tech, not concentrating on a market. I can attack a variety of markets soon and working has not required much sacrifice, launching self funded this summer will be enormously gratifying. Applying to yc on a particular idea was one of the best things I ever did - I got advice to open source a portion and that is clearly correct. Also to be completely honest, while hunting for a cofounder after that rejection I found one and decided to marry her, so sorting that out delayed our launch a little...

nayefc2• 13 years ago

"pivot" = fail

keefe2• 13 years ago

come on it was funny

Ask HN: Why did your startup fail?

Related Stories