I enjoyed the article, never liked the term startup vs business, and nothing (not even hn) can really prepare you for what to expect when you actually go for it and start one.
But it's not a game. When people's businesses (even startups) fail, there's real harm done, maybe harm that will take years to repair. I guess when it's OPM who cares... but that attitude can be a precursor to irresponsible spending/investment and there seems to be a bit of that going around these days.
Not really. Having been a low-level employee on several of these sinking ships in the past few years, the pattern is despicably predictable. Everyone who works for a startup knows the game they are playing. Many of the experienced ones will even see the writing on the wall and bail early. The laid off employees have no trouble finding their next job. Just like in Vegas, there's always another game starting up in Silicon Valley.
The VPs plan for failure going in. They may lose some money, but they'll cover the loses with some of their other investments. They play the odds.
I think the only real harm is to the state of California when hundreds of people are suddenly on unemployment for a month or two between jobs.
You should put that on your next pitch deck: "VCs-- If you invest in me, you can expect to lose money! That's your business model, right? Take it from me, I'm practically making a career out of jumping off one sinking ship to another! Yeeeeee haw!"
if vcs don't risk (avoid failure[by all means]), they wouldn't be rewarded. anyway they sometimes say 90% of startups fail... moderate income may be better than complete failure
i heard people say that the Valley beats other places of the world in creating Suns, Googles and Facebooks because [one of the reasons] it risks more and considers failure as experience
But it's not a game. When people's businesses (even startups) fail, there's real harm done, maybe harm that will take years to repair. I guess when it's OPM who cares... but that attitude can be a precursor to irresponsible spending/investment and there seems to be a bit of that going around these days.