TE
TechEcho
Home24h TopNewestBestAskShowJobs
GitHubTwitter
Home

TechEcho

A tech news platform built with Next.js, providing global tech news and discussions.

GitHubTwitter

Home

HomeNewestBestAskShowJobs

Resources

HackerNews APIOriginal HackerNewsNext.js

© 2025 TechEcho. All rights reserved.

Can you work on two startups at once?

3 pointsby kkt262about 13 years ago
Do you think it is feasible to work on two startups at once? And I'm not talking about being hired at one startup and doing something on the side, I mean two full-time startups where you are one of the founders.<p>Steve Jobs did it.

4 comments

itsprofitbaronabout 13 years ago
Personally, I wouldn't but yes it is possible as you said - Steve Jobs did it and Jack Dorsey does it.<p>However, this doesn't mean that you are Steve Jobs/Jack Dorsey and running two startups at once is hard work. Especially when, most people can't even run one!<p>There are <i>tons</i> of people's opinions regarding this for instance:<p><a href="http://tech.li/2012/02/ceo-sundays-running-two-startups-is-more-than-a-possibility/" rel="nofollow">http://tech.li/2012/02/ceo-sundays-running-two-startups-is-m...</a> - Argues its possible<p><a href="http://learntoduck.com/startups/two-startups/" rel="nofollow">http://learntoduck.com/startups/two-startups/</a> - Argues its not<p>FWIW: I'm not putting Steve Jobs or Jack Dorsey in the same boat, I'm just highlighting someone else who currently does it. (Nor am I discreditting Jack Dorsey by saying this - Square and Twitter are both great startups)
forrestblountabout 13 years ago
It's possible, but I'd avoid it. I bootstrapped a startup while employed at a large (~500 person) company and let the company go in the wrong direction too long because of it. Later I joined a startup where the CEO was still employed at a company he'd founded previously. I don't think either company failed solely because of the other commitments, but we will never know what opportunities were missed because of them.
jsmartonlyabout 13 years ago
One at a time. There are only 24 hours per day. It takes a lot of work to make one work.
paulhauggisabout 13 years ago
Most people can barely do one. It takes a special type of person to do both.