It's a torturous chaos until it isn't
It's a torturous chaos until it isn't by macbudkowski.eth5764 🥝 • 2y • 0 views • 0 clicks | |
AI summary of the linked articleThe essay argues that the early years of startups, and of other long-odds ventures, are chaotic and painful whether or not they eventually succeed, so the hardship alone cannot tell a successful path from a failing one. It cites HubSpot, which ended 2006 with 3 customers and 2007 with 48, and co-founder Dharmesh Shah's chart showing slow linear growth for three years before fast growth for five. It also points to rejection histories, such as Robert Pirsig's book being turned down by 121 publishers before its 1974 publication, and to J.K. Rowling being rejected 12 times. | |
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 "Wait, how long did it take them to get their first 500 customers? Two years? Yes. In fact, after ending 2006 with just 3 (three!) customers, they ended the next year with only 48 (source). That’s less than one per week. For a year. That does not sound like a juggernaut of growth. In fact, that sounds downright bad. Like, maybe you should shut the company down because it’s “obviously not working.” This quote is about HubSpot, a $32B company. A great read that helps to put startup growth in context (and make us a bit more patient).  Robert Pirsig’s book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was rejected by 121 publishers. How do you keep going after “just” 100 rejections? After 20, even? What the actual fuck? That book is a masterpiece | |
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