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Comment by tlack | Hacker News Reader

Does anyone remember when businesses started off trying to make money? This HN-fueled "startup" mania is getting ridiculous.. just because you have an idea and built some minimal prototype thing doesn't mean you're some brave entrepreneur.

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Great point. I think 'entrepreneur' off late has become more of a sexy label to give oneself. It's funny how the term businessman(or woman) is never used, almost as if there's a dirty connotation to it. I think saying that I do business implicitly puts the expectation that there's cash flow.

I've been guilty of this thinking too, mostly influenced by such articles and the media fueled frenzy over "entrepreneurs" and their nice little website toy thingies built over weekends and in dark rooms. At best they're hobbies and fun projects.

==this comment is more of a reminder to self than a judgement of another==

It hadn't occurred to me before, but I refer to myself as a businessman in most contexts, and describe only my unproven activities as 'entrepreneurial'.

yeah, technically I'm a CEO...but I don't think I'll be comfortable wearing that tag unless the company starts making 10+ mil a year, which is like 5 years away.

So I just go by founder.

"10+ mil a year, which is like 5 years away"

Hockey stick hockey stick!

heh I know...here is hoping :)

I understand your sentiment but I think your criticism is a little off-base given this article concerns a startup that's charging for a service and appears to have the beginnings of a sales pipeline in place. No it's not going to be the next HyperMegaGlobal Corp but it's not an eyeballs-lead-to-profit "business" either.

Maybe it is our fault for assuming that "entrepreneur" is the same as "successful entrepreneur".

Thank you. Finally, a voice of sanity!

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