From reddit to Hipmunk: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. | Hacker News Reader

From reddit to Hipmunk: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

meetthefounders.com

84 pointsmisstatiana10 comments

This jumped out at me:

> With Hipmunk I've been more cognizant about having a life. I work daytime hours, and I don't work quite as a late. But I also know a lot more, so we get more done in less time.

This is my experience as well. I don't have the same energy I had even five years ago, but I still get a lot more done because I'm about an order of magnitude more productive than I was when I started out.

This suggests that the standard model of founders as young firebrands willing to pour three years of output into a year of development isn't the only model that can work.

The bigger challenge for older would-be founders is that it becomes harder to walk away from the steady income and job security that comes from several years working for established employers.

If you have less personal debt or no debt load, nothing should hold you back. I understand kids add to the burn rate. Ever more of a reason to do MVP and start building a team. Don't be greedy, build a big team, plan and delegate. You can MVP with a full-time job, just a couple hours extra, nothing drastic. Easier to do with a team.

I can't help but wonder if his "having a life" is based on having cashed out with Conde Nast. Not that it's a bad thing (or that he hasn't become more productive, I'm sure he has), but I feel like part of the scrappy frenzy of being young is that you have no money to fall back on...every hour is precious. I just feel like this isn't necessarily transferable advice to a young guy who wants to follow in his footsteps.

If anything, it's the opposite. The first time around I felt I had nothing to lose, but this time there is a lot more pressure.

The main difference is I don't feel I have to force myself to work as much. If I'm going to be sitting in front of a computer but not actually getting much done, I may as well do something else. It's really just an acknowledgment that motivation comes and goes and there's not much to be gained by fighting it.

Of course, there is a big difference between procrastinating and being burned out for the day.

Everyone is different, of course, that's just me.

"With Hipmunk I've been more cognizant about having a life. I work daytime hours, and I don't work quite as a late. But I also know a lot more, so we get more done in less time."

In another thread I got down voted much for saying work - life balance is needed. This quote brings to light that it's really a product of experience. That experience allows proper planning, a clear roadmap, and makes it easier to stay committed to a project/team/startup/X Inc.

Perhaps I should say that If you find your self working late hours, adding to an already 80 hour work week your probably missing some key knowledge and experience. If you can't plan at least a day or two in advance then try to look and find what knowledge your missing in order to plan and execute effectively.

A quickie on gaining exp: - slaving away at some corp isn't so bad as long as you gain experience - joining an existing startup is a good idea for learning the ins and outs without the pressure - joining an incubator to boot camp these experiences

Obviously as the article stated working on something worth while is an absolute motivator.

I apologize for any grammar and spelling mistakes now because typing on the road from an iPhone is a pain.

There's a great message in here: All the hustle in the world is wasted on a problem no one wants solved.

That was an interesting read.

And thanks for not having a graphic-heavy or obscure blog theme.

An insightful post about partnerships, hard work, sacrifices, and working smart. Thanks to Steve for being a candid subject and I'm glad that him and Katie ended up in the Bay Area, so that it's a little bit easier to support each other.

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It’s an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms." - Colin Powell.

Coding in a vacuum! I was about to coin that term in a blog post! Dammit. I guess it's lucky I didn't do a blog post proclaiming how awesome my new turn of phrase was only to find out that every man and his dog has already heard of it.

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