1
The rise of the “successful” unsustainable company
We're funding too many unsustainable companies.
Jason Cohen (A Smart Bear)
In 2022 I started writing some longer articles as well as new blog posts. Because I wanted a new format, with more fine-tuning, special control over image processing, and a print-specific PDF, I created a new website: https://longform.asmartbear.com/ Please join me there!
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Visit blog.asmartbear.com → RSS feedOn Hacker News Dec 2008 – Dec 2017
Tech Industry & Business 38Startups 27Career & Management 15Life, Learning & Writing 7Tools & Productivity 3Society, Policy & Culture 3
2
Things I’ve never heard a successful startup founder say
Please stop repeating these ideas! This isn't how successful companies work.
3
You're a little company, now act like one
You're afraid that looking like being a small company means you'll lose sales. It's actually the opposite -- you're alienating your best customers.
4
The unprofitable SaaS business model trap
Marketo filed for IPO. They have $60m in revenues and a nice growth rate; unfortunately they're *losing* $35m/year. Why do SaaS business fall into the trap of being forever unprofitable, and what is the secret to the ones who overcome this trap?
5
If you can't find 10 people who say they'll buy it...
Have a great idea? Prove it by finding ten customers ready to hand over cash. Everything else is avoiding the truth.
6
Startup Competitive Advantages that Work
It's not a question of if someone copies your business idea, it's when.
7
A vote for me is a vote for dipshit businesses everywhere
Vote for my SxSW panel! VCs are increasingly unnecessary to get companies started, and I haven't heard cogent arguments for why a founder should elect to go with them for an early round. Until that changes, they'll continue to be useful for growth-stage but less and less useful for early-stage companies.
8
Rich vs. King in the Real World: Why I sold my company
Reflecting on selling Smart Bear in 2007, offering insights for entrepreneurs facing similar decisions.
9
No, that is not a competitive advantage
Listening to first-time entrepreneurs talk about their competitive advantages is as predictably invalid as the local weatherman's 10-day forecast. Here's the top, invalid competitive advantages startup founders like to claim.
10
Stop claiming you’re profitable
You're not profitable if you couldn't afford someone else to do your job. $1000/mo isn't profitable. Fix your definition of "profitable," and build a truly profitable business.
11
If you build it, they won't come, unless...
A/B tests and accumulating Twitter followers is not a marketing strategy, just as "we'll use salt and cheese" isn't a recipe.
12
You’re a little company, now act like one
You're afraid that looking like being a small company means you'll lose sales. It's actually the opposite -- you're alienating your best customers.
13
Your idea sucks now go do it anyway
Your idea probably sucks, and it doesn't matter because your business will probably turn out to be something completely different.
14
Hiring Employee #1
If you want another pair of hands to screw things up, how do you acquire resumes, pair them down, and identify someone who is going to work well in your company?
15
Why you should take the money
SEOmoz founder and visionary Rand Fishkin is struggling with whether he should personally award himself millions of dollars from his company. Here's why I think he should.
16
Lessons from 150 startup pitches
After reviewing several hundred startup pitches for Capital Factory, I found several extremely common problems. You're probably making the same mistakes -- I did have too ten years ago -- so let's get that fixed.
17
Employed with a side of startup
Starting a side gig during your 9-to-5: Avoid legal issues and maximize success.
18
Your idea sucks, now go do it anyway
Your idea probably sucks, and it doesn't matter because your business will probably turn out to be something completely different.
19
Which is better: Many customers at low price-point or few at high price?
If two companies have the same revenue, one from a few large customers and the other from many little customers, which is better? Which would you rather build?
20
Not disruptive, and proud of it
I remember "disruptive" when it was called a "paradigm shift." You should be worrying more about making something people want to buy, and less about disrupting everything.
21
Build your own Startup Death Clock
Here's a simple, powerful trick for focussing your mind on one of the most important things about your startup: The date that you run out of money.
22
Starting a business isn't as crazy and risky as they say
If you're thinking about starting a new venture right now, you need to understand the risks, but you need the real risks. The truth (as always) lies between baseless off-hand remarks about how "95% of businesses fail" (false!) and those startup blogs that show only the rosy side of things.
23
Too small to fail: How startups can grow in recessions
These two little startups are exploding in sales, even in recession. Here's how they're doing it, and how you can too.
24
Starting a business isn't as crazy and risky as they say
If you're thinking about starting a new venture right now, you need to understand the risks, but you need the real risks. The truth (as always) lies between baseless off-hand remarks about how "95% of businesses fail" (false!) and those startup blogs that show only the rosy side of things.
25
Underbelly: What haughty startup bloggers don't tell you
Can you imagine we confident bloggers fretting, wringing hands, wondering how we're going to make payroll, second-guessing our choices, wondering if maybe we should have added some feature, or frightened that a price-change could completely destroy the revenue stream? Well that's it. I'm coming out of the closet. It's…
26
Sacrifice your health for your startup
Maximizing your chance for success means sacrificing health and family. This sounds controversial, but it's not just me.
27
Find what's blocking sales with under a day of work
Uncover sales blockers in 24 hours with these 11 strategies.