Should You Really Be A Startup Entrepreneur?

I know I shouldn't. It may be a terrible thing, but I like to check in at a certain time, work for a predetermined amount of time, and then go home. I work to enjoy the rest of my life, I don't want my work consuming my life. I worked in a startup for a few years, and the way it crept into all the other aspect of my life was disquieting.

If you're asking yourself this question and currently work on BigCo, you might consider working for a startup first, as opposed to founding one. In the Bay Area, startups pass their series A round provide comparable salary and benefits to BigCo jobs. You won't get as much equity or exposure to as many of the ups-and-downs, but making the transition from BigCo to a 30 person company is a big jump.<p>I quit my BigCo job 2 weeks before my wedding to join a friend's startup as employee 20-something, quit after 18 months, and then joined my current startup as employee #1. With each move, my risk tolerance increased alongside my confidence that I wouldn't die. It has been almost a 4 year process (and still going), but I feel much more prepared now than I would have been in the summer of 2007

Silicon valley romanticizes the startup life. We read about Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs and dream of doing 1/10 of what they did.<p>The reality is that the startup life can be hell, and if you aren't prepared to walk through fire for your startup, then you shouldn't do it.

My favorite Mark Suster quote :<p>"I became an entrepreneur so I could tell people to go f!ck themselves."<p>And that basically sums it up for me. I've said this to enough bosses that, this is a huge appeal for me. If you check my performance reviews they all list "has a problem with authority".<p>I've been to a QnA session with Mark and I learned so damn much from him. He's very open about the workings of VC. And I don't think I've laughed so much at any other entrepreneur Meetup. Guy is hilarious.

I was especially struck by the point about being willing to give up hobbies. How many programming fans are able to give up playing their favorite computer game while building the start-up? Is that what it takes to build a start-up that really hits the big time?

If you want my advice, don't fucking do it.<p>If you never asked for advice you will anyway.<p>Startup life is hell, but some of us have to do it.

One real test to see if you're ready to be an entrepreneur is seeing if you would do a startup for 2 years, working 80+ hours with the emotional roller-coaster while knowing you would certainly fail. Personally, I would. I enjoy it way too much.

It seems as though many people on here buy into the myth that entrepreneurship is something that has to be this life-draining all-consuming beast to wrestle. I agree with his list of qualities, but we need to question the assumption that it has to be that way and if it does, why are we not being lazier and more efficient? Maybe I'm being naive, but if we can pinpoint those actions that are driving us forward and have the wisdom to leave the rest alone or to someone better we can work happily and in good measure. Isn't the point of entrepreneurialism to create the kind of life, product and company where we can have the best of all worlds?

A lot of people here seem to think the "Mark Zuckerberg" way of starting a business is the only way to be an entrepreneur.<p>Perhaps if you want to start something that has no barrier to entry and few qualities that cannot be imitated then yes, execution becomes everything and the only way is to run faster and work harder than everyone else. A lot of startup that get attention here fit that mold.<p>There are plenty of other opportunities out there though. You don't have to invent a new technology to get an advantage. You can lease patents, you can target niche's, you can become the local representative of a foreign startup, etcetera.

I've started, with success, 4 companies, and I'm invested in about 12 other startups.<p>I have an easy list you can go by when you are trying to decide whether to call yourself an entrepreneur or not. If you aren't willing to experience the things on this list, then stick with the corporate job:<p><a href="http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2011/01/you-can-call-yourself-an-entrepreneur-when/" rel="nofollow">http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2011/01/you-can-call-yourself-a...</a>

I agree with Mystalic. You better be ready to drop your entire life for your startup otherwise you will not succeed. It's easy to say that you're ready but you will know if you actually are by the end of the first week at your startup.

Techcrunch guest posts are often incoherent and largely self-promotional, but I appreciated hearing the perspective of someone who did the startup cycle a few times and then ran off to VC-land where he gets more variety and balance.

Good advice for a lot of people. Odd article for HN though since so many of our discussions deal with doing startups.<p>I consider myself to be a bit of a "lurker" enjoying hearing about entrepreneurs' experiences in the sense that I have been happy working only part time for almost all of my adult life on many interesting jobs and having lots of time off for family, friends, writing, and hobbies.<p>That said, I have two childhood friends who have had big payouts doing software startups (one for $20m+ and the other for $300m+) and they seem happy also :-)

Finally a great article saying how it really is. We only see the huge successes and failures in the blog and PR world.

for those that really want it, money comes with the territory. it's not the driving force.<p>i think mark is spot on with his first bullet-point in particular (not very status-oriented)<p>i'm not building a startup for the money. i just want to do what i want to do when i want to do it.

I have always felt that deep down you know whether or not you want to be an entrepreneur, even if there are day to day doubts. Mark describes characteristics, but most entrepreneurs just know.

It's both intimidating and exciting to read about what awaits me as an entrepreneur in a very early stage startup in such a straightforward manner.<p>I'm looking forward to it. :)

I think it can be all summed up to<p><pre><code> "Do you always want more from your life? Or are you content?"</code></pre>

And if you are wondering if it's for you or not, here is an excerpt that might help you think it through:<p><i>I’m sure everybody has their own definition of the attributes of an entrepreneur. Some of the ones I would identify are:</i><p><pre><code> Not very status-oriented Doesn’t follow rules very well and questions authority Can handle high degrees of ambiguity or uncertainty Can handle rejection, being told “no” often and yet still have the confidence in your idea Very decisive. A bias toward making decisions – even when only right 70% of the time – moving forward &#38; correcting what doesn’t work A high level of confidence in your own ideas and ability to execute Not highly susceptible to stress Have a high risk tolerance Not scared or ashamed of failure Can handle long hours, travel, lack of sleep and the trade-offs of having less time for hobbies &#38; other stuff</code></pre>

Resonates very well :)