Re:I'm a woman, and I want to be a founder. Please don't as...
by ChuckMcM on Wednesday March 16, 2011 @05:26PM
(#2334007)
"First, being a founder requires courage, grit, and an ability to get shit done, and I like people like that because they set an example I want to aspire to."
So I think this insight on 'being a founder' is accurate, and I applaud your aspirations. I'd like to twist your thinking 90 degrees though, being a 'founder' is an artifact not a goal. What I mean by that is first:
"Get shit done." - you know, actually do stuff, build a web product, design a new line of swimwear and get it into production, convert the PTA to using Google Docs. Whatever, become a force to be reckoned with, see a need and address it.
"show your grit" - you know, do stuff someone else thinks is stupid but in hindsight is brilliant. To do that ...
"show your courage" - you know, in the face of someone telling you something is stupid or impossible, do it anyway.
And I'll add one
"show your humility" - when you fail, admit it, do a post mortem, learn from it and then go back to getting stuff done.
It sounds trite but really if you want to found a company go out and start one. Your first one you'll pretty much have to do without a lot of support (unless you've done something nearly like it already) because nobody (even you) knows if you can cut it running a company. So I would not try to start a company that involves say, designing a new type of semi-conductor, or requires large government purchases.
If you demonstrate you can execute then the next time you have a problem that takes more resources than you can scrape together you can go to someone and say, "This is what I've done, this is what I'm going to do, I'm wondering if you want in on the ride?" Its you're history that makes that second clause powerful.
So I think this insight on 'being a founder' is accurate, and I applaud your aspirations. I'd like to twist your thinking 90 degrees though, being a 'founder' is an artifact not a goal. What I mean by that is first:
"Get shit done." - you know, actually do stuff, build a web product, design a new line of swimwear and get it into production, convert the PTA to using Google Docs. Whatever, become a force to be reckoned with, see a need and address it.
"show your grit" - you know, do stuff someone else thinks is stupid but in hindsight is brilliant. To do that ...
"show your courage" - you know, in the face of someone telling you something is stupid or impossible, do it anyway.
And I'll add one
"show your humility" - when you fail, admit it, do a post mortem, learn from it and then go back to getting stuff done.
It sounds trite but really if you want to found a company go out and start one. Your first one you'll pretty much have to do without a lot of support (unless you've done something nearly like it already) because nobody (even you) knows if you can cut it running a company. So I would not try to start a company that involves say, designing a new type of semi-conductor, or requires large government purchases.
If you demonstrate you can execute then the next time you have a problem that takes more resources than you can scrape together you can go to someone and say, "This is what I've done, this is what I'm going to do, I'm wondering if you want in on the ride?" Its you're history that makes that second clause powerful.