

How Startup Advice Is Flawed - dabent
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/20/the-10-ways-startup-advice-is-flawed/

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gbookman
I know this might sound whiney or bitter, but I think the vast majority of
successful entrepreneurs were in the right place at the right time.

If they weren't, how else would they have been successful?

~~~
RyanMcGreal
A lot of people were in the right place at the right time, but didn't do
anything about it and let the opportunity slip away.

Ask yourself: why did Geocities not turn into Facebook?

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synnik
Because it was publishing static content to an anonymous audience, not dynamic
content tailored to each individual user?

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wensing
When he said 'turn into', I think he's asking why Geocities didn't evolve from
'static content to an anonymous audience' into 'dynamic content tailored to
each individual users'.

Geocities (Yahoo!), AOL, Xerox--the head of a long list of companies in the
right place at the right time but lacking vision.

~~~
RyanMcGreal
> a long list of companies in the right place at the right time but lacking
> vision.

Precisely my point!

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tptacek
_10\. Maybe they have an agenda. Ask yourself: Does this person stand to
benefit if I follow this advice? The VCs I know and trust are honest and very
pro-entrepreneur, but I routinely hear others give advice that entrepreneurs
should be suspicious of. Fundamentally, their incentives are based on having a
portfolio of startups. As an entrepreneur, you have a portfolio of one. Think
about that the next time a VC advises you to swing for the fences._

~~~
jwesley
As a corollary to this, I think it's important to understand that only certain
types of companies and entrepreneurs benefit from giving out business advice
to the entire world. Generally, these are the types of businesses that greatly
benefit from publicity. One of the main reasons social web companies pursue
(and receive) so much press is that it's in their best interest for everyone
to know about their product because their goal is to acquire as many users as
possible. For many other companies, being in the limelight is a huge liability
that can quickly erode their competitive advantage. You never hear about these
businesses, but in many cases they are far more profitable than the
Twitter/Facebook type companies constantly paraded around the business press.

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echair
"Next time you’re listening to a guru, ask yourself: How do I really know that
they’re successful?"

An ironic item to include.

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seldo
This advice is remarkable only in its obviousness. Link-bait.

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gfodor
As with a lot of blog posts, it can be summed up in one short, simple word:
think.

