Clearly, appealing to a popular audience wasn't on the list. Rescue your article by changing its title and make a few editorial changes:
Title: "My Ten Principles for Startup Success"
Edit the article to highlight the ten most important principles from your long list -- write this section carefully, knowing that most people aren't going to read any further. Then append a list of 80 corollaries for those few souls willing to read a longer article.
One lesson I have learned, however, is that largely hiring PR firms are a waste of money. Not sure that fits anywhere, but there you go.
I like Fab.com and I'm a repeat customer, but the terrible shipment times are something I use as an example in my work. I'd buy a lot more if I knew I'd get things delivered faster than the usual 3-4 weeks.
Shouldn't this be one of the lessons on the list?
Yes, and if you were the only person ever to read it, that would be a reasonable criterion.
It's generally accepted that people can be persuaded to read a long article, but only if the article is written in a way to get people started. Ninety points up front doesn't really entice those who don't read many books (the majority at present).
Just a suggestion for attracting readers.
I actually liked it and I think the "10 most important"-anythings really fail at conveying what a delicate, complicated and demanding thing running a company is.
Like previously stated, it's hard to put into perspective running a company with just 10 points. Besides, everyone and their grandmother always publishes a "top 10" list. It was refreshing that someone put in the time to lay out such a vast article of all the lessons they've learned. And with 90 lessons, I can be rest assured that this is truly their own experience and not something pulled from other articles to make for good content.
It's a good article to read through and catch yourself nodding at the points that resonate and pick up a few key points of reference for your own startup.
I read it, and I'm glad to occasionally read articles for a niche that I truly care about no matter how long they are.
I waded carefully though this, expecting the usual noise, but surprisingly found lots of signal. This is excellent and already downloaded, printed twice, on my bulletin board, and in my binder. I need to go through it a few more times and make notes with a red marker as it applies to myself. What a handy barometer.
As a programmer, I love to hear unconventional technical wisdom that I know in my gut is true (3,38,47,53). The business advice was a little more conventional, but coming from OP, was heard in a new voice (too many to mention). Some of the "self-help" advice was fresh and interesting (9,18,29,36,72) while some was the same old stuff (41,77). Oh well, you can't have everything.
Thank you, OP! What a nice way to pay it forward. I know this will make a difference in my life, and probably for others too.
Smile, you're designed to.
Jason
I've been through a lot of high's and low's in the last year. This list helped me realize that a lot of my hunches were correct and some of my assumptions need to be dumped. Very helpful.
Big +1
I really wish I had something more insightful to say about it... but it's just absolute gold, and better than 99% of the "founder advice" posts I've ever seen on HN.
Seriously, this deserves to be a book with 90 3-page chapters.
*edit: I love the list, it's awesome :)
Every person's situation is different. I remember reading an excellent post from Parse.ly's founder who talked about how his side project helped him put food on the table while they were building Parse.ly
Not every startup wants to give away equity and control for funding. Side projects are essential for bootstrapped startups.
http://betashop.com/post/32913573235/90-things-ive-learned-f...
As soon as Betashop posts again to their blog it will start to get confusing.
ie: Learning to say 'no' and don't be afraid to voice your opinions to CEO/Founders. You know, some bullet points like the OP but more to the audience of those not in founder positions.
Feel free to share articles/links if you have any too!
B. Wayne Hughes founded Public Storage and is now a billionaire. Was self-service storage units his driving passion in life? Or did he recognize a unfulfilled market demand.
Does DHH love project management and CRM apps more than he loves racing Porsches?
Thanks!
"Don't outsource" may have been right for fab.com but its not always good advice. Simple websites that are just retail stores care about brand, real technology companies that actually do something that hasn't been done before often outsource with good success. Like Apple for example, that outsource quite a lot of their product and yet seem to be doing ok. (Maps aside)
Most of this reads like a 60's flower child that went to Harvard and got an MBA.
I'd like to see some of this craving for perfection and every pixel needs my approval put into practice and not see fab.com paint itself smaller than the viewport on the iPad and then onReady() redraw itself to fit the screen. Or menus that don't need to be double clicked.
The text shape can also easily be wrapped over a tall whiskey bottle :)
True success it is (I think) if you can enter any market, build the best product, and dominate it.
Thanks Jason!
Thank you!
