

Steve Blank: Founders and dysfunctional families - wyday
http://steveblank.com/2009/05/18/founders-and-dysfunctional-families/

======
pchivers
Take away quote from the article:

 _"My hypothesis is that most children are emotionally damaged by [growing up
in a dysfunctional family]. But a small percentage, whose brain chemistry and
wiring is set for resilience, come out of this with a compulsive, relentless
and tenacious drive to succeed. They have learned to function in a permanent
state of chaos. And they have channeled all this into whatever activity they
could find outside of their home – sports, business, or …entrepreneurship."_

~~~
peregrine
I was going to come and post this. Its a very long article to make this very
simple point.

------
jnovek
“Steve, almost all my CEO’s came from very tough childhoods. It was one of the
characteristics I specifically looked for. It’s why all of you operated so
well in the unpredictable environment that all startups face.”

I guess my company wouldn't receive funding from her, since both my co-founder
and I come from functional families!

I wonder if she used any other highly scientific predictors, such as reading a
founder's tea lees or checking to see whether they have the "entrepreneur"
bump on their skull?

~~~
teej
You have to make decisions with incomplete and unscientific data all the time.
If there was a scientific predictor to business success, VCs wouldn't pick
lemons ~80% of the time. There's nothing wrong with making decisions based on
features like that, as long as you're accurately measuring your results. Who
knows, maybe his VC friend is "retired" for a reason?

~~~
tpyo
Without any real backing, this would be discrimination, however.

------
jyothi
A very interesting correlation. As for the cause & effect goes resilient
behavior is well explained and I buy that argument.

However what strikes me the most is not about the traits dysfunctional
families force you to develop but the part he notes "those who have channeled
all the chaos for a positive effect" - a very small percentage does.

 _And they have channeled all this into whatever activity they could find
outside of their home – sports, business, or …entrepreneurship."_

Even a high number of criminals, under world dons and other socially
unacceptable traits are also correlated highly to dysfunctional families. They
too are resilient and in fact have a lot of traits that entrepreneurs have
except for the value system, a socially acceptable behavior & positive
contribution.

A very small percentage of dysfunctional families would generate great
entrepreneurs and I would like to believe that this is just a correlation. One
is probably better off to grow in proper functional and stable families but
with good exposure/support to possess necessary traits.

Edit: Additionally an unstable or dysfunctionally childhood even among those
small percentage might have caused them to have extreme bahaviours on
rudeness, temper, patience, trust etc. which is very adverse for startups.

------
lrajlich
I agree with most of what is said, but I think the word "dysfunctional" is
incorrect and implies the wrong characterization of these situations. Show me
the entrepreneurs who came out of childhood situations where fighting, alcohol
and drug abuse are the norm? I would agree that many entrepreneurs come out of
childhood situations where their family struggled through chaotic situations
(characterized by uncertain future, time spent living on the margin, etc.),
but that the key element is that the family can remain functional and
successful in these conditions, thus being closer to the exact opposite of
what is normally categorized as "dysfunctional". I can point to the many cases
of first generation immigrants who go on to be successful entrepreneurs. Their
parents, as immigrants, faced exactly this sort of chaotic situation and had
to find a way to remain functional.

------
samt
I have to agree with the more general case if not his exact point. middle
class is the enemy of rich and dysfunctional is probably highly correlated
with household income.

------
alexfarran
So I tied an onion to my belt. Which was the style at the time.

~~~
turkishrevenge
Back then, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. "Gimme five bees for a
quarter," you'd say.

~~~
sblank
You couldn't get white onions, because of the war.

