

Flailing Fast: A Startup Story - FlailFast
http://www.flailfast.com/

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socratic
This story lacks a summary, so here goes...

Flailing Fast is an underground classic chronicaling the story of two young
entrepreneurs. I got an earlier version a few months ago, though it may have
been floating around the startup scene for longer. The entrepreneurs meet at a
networking event, happen upon accidental success with an iPhone fart app, and
finally are undone by a combination of ambition (a fart app platform!),
investors, and group psychology. Written in business case style, it could only
have been written by an MBA, a bitter entrepreneur, or both.

Though optimistic in the end, Flailing Fast seems to ask, are we really so
different from these young accidental entrepreneurs?

(Also, the whole thing is free to read online.)

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caitlinhogan2
Are we really similar to them?

~~~
angersock
Probably not... closed a Series A yet?

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moocow01
I thought this was highly entertaining - made me laugh many times over. Ever
consider shipping this off to This American Life or The Moth or something
along those lines?

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FlailFast
Really happy to hear it! I would, although so much of it is fiction that I
doubt either would accept it. Perhaps some other publication would be better
suited, although through this posting I managed to get my work out to the
group that most appreciates it -- as I always say, "S3 buckets > buckets of
unsold magazines." Why I say things in terms of inequalities -- and why I
believe magazines are stored in buckets -- are probably subjects for another
post.

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twfarland
Refreshingly cynical. It makes me want to just open a bar or something, rather
than do battle with TOADs, JOCKs, Product Management Pirates and Social Media
Ninjas.

~~~
FlailFast
If it helps, I would definitely patronize your bar sir.

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msellout
I'm not sure I care for the style, but the point is still valid -- that it's
hard to separate skill from luck. There's so much noise in the market. So many
people are busy flipping coins, is it too hard to believe that successful
people are simply good coin flippers (ie. lucky)? Of course, a certain minimum
of skill is required. How much skill... very debatable.

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tsunamifury
I sat down and read this all the way through.

It was very sobering. I highly recommend it to would be entrepreneurs looking
to raise funds. I found myself nodding my head at how accurately this story
described some of my own experiences.

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SimHacker
This is awesome because it pretends to be fiction, but it's true.

When does it come out as a movie, and who will you get to play Professor
Bonhoeffer?

~~~
FlailFast
Ideally, I'd pull a "Shawshank Redemption" and get Morgan Freeman.

~~~
SimHacker
Pull a "Blow" and get Paul Rubens as Tim Thompson!

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pentae
I wonder how much of this story is real? It certainly felt real. Still, a
thoroughly enjoyable read.

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ishi
I wish I could upvote this more than once.

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Swizec
I like the idea of this book ... I think.

But this writer sure speaks a lot without saying much. Distractingly so.

~~~
FlailFast
I'll admit: at times I go off the deep end, if only for literary flourish. But
I hope those moments are at least entertaining, if not thoughtful (though my
aim potentially f(l)ailed in that regard).

~~~
jbooth
I thought it was hilarious, your take on the old lawyer-2-bullets joke made me
laugh out loud on the train.

~~~
FlailFast
Thanks! That was one of my favorites to write too. As you probably gathered if
you got that far -- and I'm happy to hear that you did! -- I have a
predilection for hyperbole.

