This isn't 100% true, i'm working at a VC-backed startup and i wouldn't say that there's a lot of pressure on me (as a developer) to work 90 hour weeks and stuff. Although to be honest, i'm not exactly sure how smart our VC's are.
Thanks for all the comments.<p>@edw519: We're certainly big fans of revenue. We even have a non-trivial amount of it (for a 3 person startup). :) The whole point of the post is that we don't believe anybody has reliable predictive power over when that "non-refundable vote" will show up in your bank account. And because of that, submitting to artificial deadlines on when the revenue should arrive can lead to overworking the team. Make sense?
I think this article applies even for established companies regardless of where the funding comes from or if they're a startup. I have a friend who decided to take a 20% pay cut to work only 4 days a week and now feels more productive and happy, whereas another friend I know prefers working 60-80 hour weeks and then taking a month off. Either way, it seems obvious that even the most productive, passionate people need downtime to recharge.
Revenue masks what no amount of money can buy: Motivation in the heart and soul of a human. The kind of motivation that leads people who believe in a dream to give blood, sweat and tears to a project and come back for more with a huge smile on their face.
Interesting approach, but funny that he never mentions the single key word that makes it all possible: revenue. Whether you're bootstrapping or not, the best way to verify your concept AND position yourself to run a marathon is to FIND A CUSTOMER. Putting a team together, launching, getting into yc, taking serious investment - these are all great milestones. But there's still nothing quite like depositing a customer's non-refundable vote into your bank account. That's the day your world REALLY changes.