

Success as an Entrepreneur: Why It’s Not About You - rantfoil
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/09/21/success-as-an-entrepreneur-why-it%E2%80%99s-not-about-you/

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markbao
I agree with Hamilton - and I hope that becoming older and having more
experience and exposure doesn't take that mindset away from me. Doesn't look
like it has for him.

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SarahToton
This is a nice interview and left me feeling warm and fuzzy about being a more
altruistic capitalist. But, I'm still wondering what exactly Hamilton's
extended business plan was. "Selflessly Make Helpful Tool" + "Patience" still
doesn't lead easily to finding investors, let alone getting rich.

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denglish
Can anyone honestly say they're in the start up world simply to alturistically
help other people? This article seems a bit twisted to me - yes I agree you
make money by solving a business problem, or helping others make money, but if
you don't ultimately make money yourself, surely that's considered failure! I
know your investors would say so...

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eru
I guess your investors are content if you make money for them.

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mattmaroon
Yet more advice given from the narrow scope of one person's experience. The
problem is, some of it is just wrong. Some people have succeeded despite (or
perhaps because of) just being in it for the money.

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rantfoil
I think whether or not you're in it for the money ultimately doesn't matter
very much.

What matters is how much value you create -- and it so happens that you create
the most REAL value when you focus on other people's problems and solve them.

Solve other people's problems, create value, get paid, and as a result, solve
your own problems.

Being in it for the money means you have to be in it for other people,
ultimately. Well, at least the good kind of value creation. You could also
just sell subprime mortgages and make a bucket load of money too, but we know
where that ends up...

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mattmaroon
Actually I think the guy's correct in that it helps. I've seen this for sure
in startups. I just think he's incorrect in that it's necessary, or that it
should be a defining characteristic of an entrepreneur.

