The list isn't intended to be 100% serious.

Those are the worst kinds of lists then. Because if it's not clear whether they are or are not 100% serious I'm left here trying to figure out how he got to that conclusion on some contentious point and I start doubting my own strategies where we disagree.

But really, I think the author by himself meant all of it to be serious, just that he tried to be humorous along the way.

It seems to me it is like most short quick comments, there might be some valuable insight if you apply it right but sure you can easily mis-apply the ideas.

I think it is pretty obvious no advice from a list can really be used to guide your decision. But it can make you think, "founder is the head of sales" - am I really making a good decision hiring a head of sales so quickly? Yes, the founder is wonderful but a lousy sales person. Similar to the no hiring a CEO idea. Avoid doing so is the advice, if you want to question that impulse but if there are good reasons to, well you have to decide based on the actually situation you face.

I generally find such lists of general advice close to worthless. I actually find this one worthwhile, but sure it has plenty of advice I don't agree with. What I really care about is if it provides some insight and sparks what seems like useful thought.

Ah, that makes sense. #15 had me confused, the ethical thing is NOT to hire the friend and to forget about the client.

Why is that ethical?

I assumed that he meant ethical for the survival of the business (by bringing in $$).

Not quite sure how you came to that conclusion when the first two sentences of the post are "This is going be a bullet FAQ on starting a business. No joke."

It is a bullet FAQ. You can't deny that. Just not a serious one.

That type of language is consistent with the humor in the author's other articles.