Why Your Startup Shouldn't Copy 37signals or Fog Creek

Re:Why Your Startup Shouldn't Copy 37signals or Fog Creek by wallflower on Friday February 06, 2009 @11:46AM (#469938)

37Signals and Joel's Fog Creek are well-known brands and cargo cults onto themselves. I think startups should consider following an emerging startup/marketing/entrepreneurial brand: Balsamiq/Peldi Guilizzoni (balsamiq on HN)

"Balsamiq Roadmap for 2009" http://www.balsamiq.com/blog/?p=539

"A Look Back at 2008" http://www.balsamiq.com/blog/?p=531

"Startup Marketing Advice from Balsamiq Studio" http://www.balsamiq.com/blog/?p=198

"Profitable after 3 weeks" http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=247720

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why Your Startup Shouldn't Copy 37signals or Fog Creek by schwa23 on Friday February 06, 2009 @12:03PM (#469964)

I can't tell how serious your comment is seeing how the Balsamiq website bears an uncanny resemblance to the 37signals website. So what you are saying is that we shouldn't copy 37signals but we should instead learn from a guy who copied 37signals?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why Your Startup Shouldn't Copy 37signals or Fog Creek by balsamiq on Friday February 06, 2009 @03:07PM (#470266)

Hi Schwa23, the design of balsamiq.com is mine - I have the Illustrator files to prove it :) - but I did design it at the height of my 37Signals "fanboy" phase, so I'm not surprised of the resemblance. I am not 100% happy with the site and I'm working with a designer on a new look...give me a couple of months.

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Re:Why Your Startup Shouldn't Copy 37signals or Fog Creek by betterlabs on Friday February 06, 2009 @03:28PM (#470295)

Peldi, I think your product rocks which is what counts. I am not sure how partly taking a homepage design from another site is a big deal and not relevant to this conversation.

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Re:Why Your Startup Shouldn't Copy 37signals or Fog Creek by wallflower on Friday February 06, 2009 @12:06PM (#469970)

He might have learned from them but he's doing it himself, applying what he's learned and telling us about what works for him.

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