

From reddit to Hipmunk: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. - misstatiana
http://meetthefounders.com/meet-steve-huffman-cofounder-of-reddit-and-hi

======
RyanMcGreal
This jumped out at me:

> With Hipmunk I've been more cognizant about having a life. I work daytime
> hours, and I don't work quite as a late. But I also know a lot more, so we
> get more done in less time.

This is my experience as well. I don't have the same energy I had even five
years ago, but I still get a lot more done because I'm about an order of
magnitude more productive than I was when I started out.

This suggests that the standard model of founders as young firebrands willing
to pour three years of output into a year of development isn't the only model
that can work.

The bigger challenge for older would-be founders is that it becomes harder to
walk away from the steady income and job security that comes from several
years working for established employers.

~~~
acconrad
I can't help but wonder if his "having a life" is based on having cashed out
with Conde Nast. Not that it's a bad thing (or that he hasn't become more
productive, I'm sure he has), but I feel like part of the scrappy frenzy of
being young is that you have no money to fall back on...every hour is
precious. I just feel like this isn't necessarily transferable advice to a
young guy who wants to follow in his footsteps.

~~~
spez
If anything, it's the opposite. The first time around I felt I had nothing to
lose, but this time there is a lot more pressure.

The main difference is I don't feel I have to force myself to work as much. If
I'm going to be sitting in front of a computer but not actually getting much
done, I may as well do something else. It's really just an acknowledgment that
motivation comes and goes and there's not much to be gained by fighting it.

Of course, there is a big difference between procrastinating and being burned
out for the day.

Everyone is different, of course, that's just me.

------
jjm
"With Hipmunk I've been more cognizant about having a life. I work daytime
hours, and I don't work quite as a late. But I also know a lot more, so we get
more done in less time."

In another thread I got down voted much for saying work - life balance is
needed. This quote brings to light that it's really a product of experience.
That experience allows proper planning, a clear roadmap, and makes it easier
to stay committed to a project/team/startup/X Inc.

Perhaps I should say that If you find your self working late hours, adding to
an already 80 hour work week your probably missing some key knowledge and
experience. If you can't plan at least a day or two in advance then try to
look and find what knowledge your missing in order to plan and execute
effectively.

A quickie on gaining exp: \- slaving away at some corp isn't so bad as long as
you gain experience \- joining an existing startup is a good idea for learning
the ins and outs without the pressure \- joining an incubator to boot camp
these experiences

Obviously as the article stated working on something worth while is an
absolute motivator.

I apologize for any grammar and spelling mistakes now because typing on the
road from an iPhone is a pain.

------
zachallaun
There's a great message in here: All the hustle in the world is wasted on a
problem no one wants solved.

------
stevenj
That was an interesting read.

And thanks for not having a graphic-heavy or obscure blog theme.

------
jc123
An insightful post about partnerships, hard work, sacrifices, and working
smart. Thanks to Steve for being a candid subject and I'm glad that him and
Katie ended up in the Bay Area, so that it's a little bit easier to support
each other.

------
scorpion032
"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the slogan of the complacent, the
arrogant or the scared. It’s an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms." -
Colin Powell.

------
dools
Coding in a vacuum! I was about to coin that term in a blog post! Dammit. I
guess it's lucky I didn't do a blog post proclaiming how awesome my new turn
of phrase was only to find out that every man and his dog has already heard of
it.

