

What I learned in 2009 in my startup - DeusExMachina
http://pawn-soft.com/blog/1-latest/61-what-i-learned-in-2009

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jacquesm
I think after reading the rest of the site that the author (poster?) still
hasn't learned one major lesson, which is that even if you can go it alone it
is usually better not to.

Having others (critical ones!) around you to keep you on the straight and
narrow is invaluable.

So, even if the 'we' is out of place now, I sincerely wish that by the end of
2010 it is back in there and for a good reason.

More hands and brains (up to some upper limit) are worth more than any amount
of investors.

It is possible to do it all by yourself, a very few even get lucky and have
taken it to a very high level that way but sooner or later you will need to
work together with other people to go to the next level.

~~~
DeusExMachina
I really have learned that lesson a long ago, and I also read a lot about this
topic. I really wish I had a co-founder, but the truth is that, where I live,
I cannot find anyone.

Unfortunately where I live the mindset is "graduate and get a job". Nearly no
one wants to try to start a startup. For almost everybody here it is not worth
the risk. I don't think it's an economical issue, I think it's only the closed
mindset of people around here.

So I had to choose from go alone or do nothing. I obviously chose the first
one, knowing that it's not easy at all. I really wish to be able to put back
the word "we" back in 2010.

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dennykmiu
Being an entrepreneur is a tough business. My own experience is that it is
even tougher if you have no co-Founders. It is really true that it takes two
pieces of wood to sustain a fire and perhaps even a third to light the fire.
One of my favorite scenes from my collection of Woody Allen movies is the one
where after sex, his date compliments him on how great a lover he is. Allen
smiled with confidence and uttered, "I practice a lot when I am alone." Very
often, as entrepreneurs, we prefer to practice alone and to execute alone. We
will do everything and anything possible to avoid confronting our worst
nightmare which is to get in bed with the wrong people. Our excuse is that we
are not ready. Our business plan is not ready. Our elevator pitch is not
ready. Our prototype is not ready, etc. Having partners allow you to diversify
your gene pool and having partners allow you to try different positions. It is
true in love as in building companies. It is a scary world out there but you
must take a leap and share your dream with someone. Good luck everyone.

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imgabe
I propose the "Corporate We" as a grammatical construct. Like the Royal We
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_we>) which refers both to the human being
who sits on the throne, and the political office of the king/queen, the
Corporate We refers to both the person who runs the company, and the legal
entity that is the company itself.

At least, that's the justification I'm going with for using "we" all over the
website of my one-person company.

