While I really don't like the framing of the story, it brings up an important point way too many people in the tech and start-up bubble forget: some things are just out of your control, and bad luck is a real thing that happens to good people.<p>Managing your life and start-up is not something trivially easy you can pin-point with life hacks and inspirational catchphrases. Some people don't manage to achieve something, because they just didn't have the luck of the draw. And we shouldn't blame them for that.<p>I see this very rambling article as a founder dealing with something innately absurd, and if there is something a self-proclaimed hacker doesn't like, it's a deprivation of control and micromanagement. To some, it's cognitive dissonance at work. And regardless of the tone of the article, I am very grateful that the author chose to deal with this in public.<p>And don't tell me the American health care system doesn't get in the way of earning a decent living, as an employer and employee. While this article is penned in a way I don't like that much, the tech press need to get out of their bubble and write more articles about how real problems affect real people, some of whom work at start-ups, and that being an entrepreneurs doesn't render you immune to those problems.<p>It's only a matter of time before someone posts on Medium about "hacking their cancer" or some bullshit, but it'd be great if we took more time to understand that issues like health, health care costs, discrimination, harassment, suicidal ideation, and other problems are things that get in the way, not just of start-ups, but a dignified existence as a human being.
The co-founder with the tumor has his own blog, read this as well:<p><a href="http://ronniecastro.me/40-percent-chance-tumor-grows/" rel="nofollow">http://ronniecastro.me/40-percent-chance-tumor-grows/</a> (incl. photos).<p>Good luck
The intern bit is disturbing to me. The trouble is, he can't actually believe this is the best decision for these kids to make. He himself started a business while still in school; he didn't slave away for someone else as "low cost" labor. His own experience tells him that the best "career stepping stone" is to create things, with friends, for yourselves. Any truly "wicked smart" kids shouldn't be making this decision and he's not doing them any favors by encouraging it.<p>In my own experience, offering a fairly-paid internship (ie, what they would be making as a junior full-time employee), of a few months, is a great way to evaluate a potential hire down the road. Do I expect useful work to come out of these few months and build a business plan around it? Not really, and I believe it's dishonest to do so.
I don't have cancer, though I've lost those close to me.<p>I do have a (currently) incurable disease. (I do have an extremely mild case, I must admiit) Many my age with CF are too busy taking medicine and staying alive to do much with a career. Others are on the verge of needing transplants. Others still have been gone a long time. I pray of course for the best, but one day, it might get me.<p>I have things I'm passionate about. My hope would be that those around me help me fulfill my visions and goals in life, through my struggles and recovery. As the article is written, this wasn't something the cofounder was forced into, but something he jumped into with plenty of options and I'll presume they are passionate about.
I'd recommend that commenters simmer down on the emotional intensity and put away the torches and pitchforks.<p>This is relevant to any startup. Yes, brain cancer is an extreme case, but just as it's important to select the right cofounder, having something unexpected or unplanned happen to your cofounder is a situation that has to be handled.<p>It could be something as awful as brain cancer[1], as joyous as a new baby or as horrifying as discovering that the new baby has a hole in his heart, or something that is both positive and negative, such as falling in love with someone who wants or needs to move away from your business location.<p>Key man insurance can help, but notes on experiences such as this are helpful as well. It's easy to pile onto the author as an insensitive schmuck because you are not in that position. We can't directly relate to his situation, so we can judge all we like without fear of hypocrisy.<p>However, at some point, if you are lucky enough to grow a company and you are responsible for the livelihood of your employees, a key member of the team will have an 'availability-limiting event' that will force you to make tough decisions.<p>Having articles such as this help. Not all the advice is immediately useful ("hire a bunch of interns") but dropping meetings and intensifying focus is good. Keeping in mind,"How should I handle this so that I don't leave this in a mess for X?" is good as well, because it assumes that X will be back.<p>If this happens to you, know that you have google/duckduck/bing fodder to look for help in your moment of panic. Know that while it's one thing to think,"I have cancer and I have to figure out what to do with my startup," for which you can find a number of bits of advice, it's another to be affected as a partner. Know also that you should make sure that you cross-train enough with your cofounder so that neither of you is trying to do a brain dump to the other in the back of an ambulance while your loved ones are terrified.<p>Finally, I would find it hard to believe that the author posted this without his partner's consent. It sounds as if they've gotten through the immediate crisis with the tumor and he is probably at least partially re-involved with the company.[2]<p>Take posts such as this at face value. Have compassion.<p>[1] <i>Fuck</i> cancer.<p>[2] Chemo is a bastard; see: [1]
Unfortunately, I've known a few great people, people I was very close to, to lose a few of what could have been some really productive years due to these sorts of things. Brain tumours are reasonably rare but they are also unpredictable and turn up at any moment.<p>Anyway, at least in Australia we have Medicare for everyone, which should soon cover trips to the dentist, as well as the DisabilityCare scheme that's rolling out for people who have acquired or were born with a disability. Oh, and madatory superannnuation.<p>Ya'll welcome to move here. You'll probably like it here.