

Why You Should Quit Your Job to Be a Founder - jeffpersonified
http://jeffmatthewsmith.tumblr.com/post/31345255466/why-you-should-quit-your-job-to-be-a-founder

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Quizz
Terrible advice - quitting your job to be a founder does NOT instill you with
the necessary skills and mindset to be a successful founder. The skills
required to succeed as a founder does not appear just because you call
yourself a "founder". Things like negotiating with difficult co-workers,
identifying what defines good team work chemistry, charming your boss,
charming your underlings, etc., are all challenges better encountered in your
current work environment than when you start your company (and screw it up due
to lack of experience).

Jumping into the water before learning how to swim because somebody said "hey,
the best way to learn how to swim is to just do it - that's how I did it!!"

The most difficult challenge for young adults inexperienced in the adult world
of employment/business (corporate politics, backstabbing vendors, non-paying
customers, unscrupulous business partners, etc.) is separating the noise. I
believe this post (although well meaning) is "noise" that will harm more than
help.

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jeffpersonified
"quitting your job to be a founder does NOT instill you with the necessary
skills and mindset to be a successful founder."

I don't think I advised anyone to quit one's job and become a founder in the
strict sense. Dorsey redefined what it means to be a founder (someone
foundational to an organization, regardless of when they joined) and I advised
that the skills founders possess are valuable as an employee and founder
alike.

~~~
biot

      > I don't think I advised anyone to quit one's job
    

You should change the title to "Why you should be a founder" (or "Why you
should think like a founder") rather than "Why you should quit and be a
founder". Just as I suggested that changing the title is something you should
do, your article title suggests that quitting one's job is something one
should do.

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textminer
My practical reason against this? I'm young. I have 80k in student loan debt.
I can make headway into my indentured servitude (and create space to later
accept greater risk) even as an early developer in a startup, throwing money
at those loans. I can also learn from that experience, and build up my own
projects with friends in my spare time that will likely blossom into a company
someday. But I can't yet afford to pay myself on a shoestring.

~~~
jeffpersonified
Thanks for the feedback. I'm young as well and working through debt. The point
isn't necessarily to venture out and start a company but to begin inculcating
a founder-like outlook on how you work and approach life, even in the largest
organizations. Finding opportunity, approaching work with a beginner's mind,
etc. can be done in any organization, large or small.

~~~
textminer
As I re-read your article with less quickness to reply, I see you're making
exactly that point. I'm mostly pre-occupied lately with that very tension
between working for one's self and working for others, so my response had a
fair bit of that going into it. Great post.

~~~
jeffpersonified
Really appreciate that. Best of luck - sounds like we're in similar spots in
life.

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T_S_
The OP gives great advice. But I was amused by the Dorsey quote referring to
_"...founders - who may not have been there at inception."_

Let's take some highly desirable attributes in an employee and give them a
label "Rockstar". Er, no. "Founder".

When words are the currency of persuasion, expect inflation.

~~~
jeffpersonified
"Growth hacker" => marketing "hustler" => sales "ninja" => ...um

~~~
civilian
are those arrows or equality operations?

~~~
jeffpersonified
arrows

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EternalFury
At 40, I am reminded of how little I knew 2 years after finishing my
schooling. Yet, I had the audacity of believing I had it all figured out...for
5 minutes at a time. Then, I would tell myself "You're foolish, but that's OK,
now is your time to be foolish."

When I read articles such as this one, I rejoice at the idea that youth is
eternal.

~~~
inthewoods
As a fellow old man, I laughed out loud at your comment. Thank you for making
my night.

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mquander
What's the point of redefining "founder" to mean "good employee?" There is
nothing magical about any of those criteria you listed; they're just basic
aspects of being an effective human being.

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SurfCat
payola 2.0 is your pitch? Uh... don't quit your day job...

