Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

People in this space live in a thickly-lined bubble if they think something like Evernote is changing the world. Wisdom is not suddenly bestowed upon you because your note-taking service was recently valued at $1+ billion.<p>I have always had a really hard time heeding to the advice of rich people who tell you what all the right and wrong reasons to become an entrepreneur are, especially when they start preaching about how it's not about the money, but about the journey.<p>Also, "don't do it"? I'm sure companies that are having 100x more of an impact in this world than Evernote will ever have were started by people who very bluntly went against that sort of advice. Steve Jobs' "Stay hungry, stay foolish" comes to mind, and I'll side with his blissfully ignorant optimism any day.

"A lot of people think that they want to be an entrepreneur because it’s a good way to make money. It just isn’t, that’s just wrong. Depending on how you count, 95% to 99% of companies fail."<p>Excuse me. It is a way to make money. That figure assumes the definition of entrepreneur is only startups as discussed in places like HN, Techcrunch etc.<p>Not only is the figure of 95% or 99% wrong with respect to "entrepreneurs" (unless of course you increase the time to, say, 100 years at which case it may be true across the board) but its like saying "don't apply to Harvard or YC because the chance...". It doesn't take into account any particular persons idea or qualifications to be a success.<p>But most importantly, the definition of being an entrepreneur also includes running a small restaurant or opening a physical warehouse and selling exercise equipment or starting a website to sell new and used office desks or a million other ideas that will never make it to HN or TC that can make you a good living.

"I think you know what it is: it’s to change the world"<p>This is such hogwash and brainwashing. People have to earn money and make a living. Nothing wrong with that at all. And if you want to change the world you have a better chance after earning a load of money.<p>There are people who have gone into medicine to make money (and not better the world and save lives) and are great physicians and provide a service. And they live in big houses have expensive things and enjoy themselves. That's fine. Nothing to apologize about. Same with entrepreneurship or any pursuit (education).

Or, if you <i>really</i> want to change the world, alleviate the spectre of massive world hunger by coming up with radical agricultural techniques and selective breeding for drought resistance, then teach that technique to everyone you know for free[1].<p>Or, come up with a novel vaccine for one of our most vexing diseases of our time, then give away the formulation for free[2].<p>That's how you change the world.<p>Cue the capitalism-as-religion downvote squad, but this guy is a world class putz if he thinks a cloud-based notepad is changing anything but 1st world slight inconvenience.<p>[1]Norman Borlaug<p>[2]Jonas Salk

&#62; <i>But there’s only one good, legitimate reason, and I think you know what it is: it’s to change the world.</i><p>I think this is going overboard. It's perfectly reasonable for someone to want to start his/her own company for less noble reasons than "changing the world." This advises people to not give it a shot at all. Would I like to change the world? Yes, I would. Do I reasonably expect that it will happen? No, I'm more realistic than that. While I'm still young and don't have much tying me down, though, I want to give it a shot. I'd much rather try, fail, and then have to go back to the workforce than wind up staying the workforce my whole life regretting not trying to start my own thing. I suppose you could make the argument that any successful company will have to add value to the world in some way, and adding value to the world changes it, but that isn't the way the statement reads.

Reasons not to listen to this guy:<p>1. Not all CEO's work 20 hour days, and he probably doesn't either<p>2. Starting your own company can give you the ability to challenge the outdated 9-to-5 sit-at-your-desk status quo more than working for someone else can<p>3. His skewed view of upcoming entrepreneurs as only the subset that bother him for advice doesn't reflect on you or your ability to successfully launch your own business<p>4. Seriously, Evernote? It's cloud data with a bow around it.<p>5. Working long hours doesn't mean slaving away at the office for long hours, it means that you're always "on". If you start a business around something you're passionate about, you'll be thinking about it all day anyway.<p>6. Ryan Carson just told us last week that he works 32 hours a week, and his company impacts the world a whole lot more than Evernote IMO (subjective, yes, but Treehouse and Carsonified educate and connect people in a way they couldn't have done otherwise, whereas you can eliminate the need for Evernote by creating a folder or two on Dropbox).<p>7. If you fail, you can always try again and/or re-join the work force.<p>8. Most people would feel a lot better about trying and failing than not trying at all.<p>And the number one reason I'd say this video should be completely ignored is that you might actually succeed.<p>This video tells me very little about entrepreneurship. The real message is that Evernote is run by a pretty unlikeable guy who would advise you, without getting to know you, to be a working stiff your entire life instead of taking chances. Advice that he obviously would not have taken himself.

&#62; <i>If you’re smart enough, if you’re talented enough, if you have the drive, if you have the ability, and you’re motivated by making money, then you should just get a real job instead, like become a banker or an investor or a consultant or something.</i><p>This sounds like terrible advice for someone who is not motivated to do the work of a banker or investor or consultant. I've seen many exceptionally driven people lose their drive when employed at the wrong occupation.

I love Evernote. It has changed my life. Before, I didn't have anywhere to put all the ideas, insights, jokes, and stories I had in my head. Now, with one key from anywhere I can get it out of my head and the feeling is incredible.<p>But, fuck the CEO of Evernote. How <i>dare</i> he tell people not to start a company? Not only is it idiotic (I mean, first and foremost, he did it so he's a hypocrit; but secondly, someone started every company that exists. So if people actually followed his advice we'd be stuck with the current crop of companies...forever) but it's downright evil. To discourage people from starting companies is to discourage people from building, from creating, from giving form to their dreams. And that's inexcusable.<p>tl;dr Evernote is great; the CEO is a fuckwit.<p>EDIT: I got my first downvote, but I don't care. Discouraging people from creating is evil, and when confronting evil there's no place for 'nice'.

I wonder how many of these speeches are motivated by salesmanship? Like, <i>Do it because you've got a decent idea and you kinda think it might work and maybe you'll make a little bit of money</i> just doesn't have the same ring to it as <i>Go change the world, kid!</i><p>So, in order to get invited (or invited back) to speak in front of 100s of people and plug your product/company, you change your speech (and backstory) until it fits the mantra-du-jour. 3 years ago, the speech would be "Fail Fast". A year ago, it would be "Learn to Pivot". Today, it's "Change the World!"<p>As others have mentioned here, Evernote is not really an earth-shattering, universe-changing product. That's perfectly OK in my book, but own up to that fact. It's tiresome to hear people rewrite history and their own motivations just to sell themselves.

This article's title is misleading, it should read more like "...Don't do it for the wrong reasons" as he explains in the actual post. Beyond these reasons there are tons of people who want to make a company because:<p>- They will offer something novel or fresh<p>- They have the passion to change an industry that has otherwise been stagnant<p>- They want to offer choice or competition for a product that has been relatively monopolized<p>- And to a smaller degree if they're outside of the NYC/SF area, bring the tech scene to other areas of the world

Evernote is obviously a very successful company, and I'm sure Phil Libin is a smart guy, but he comes off as a total snob saying this...<p>&#62; "I think you know what it is: it’s to change the world" Most people who start a company start it to MAKE MONEY. Of course, he presents us with a false dilemma: you can either aspire to change the world, or have the desire to make money, earn power, etc. These are not mutually exclusive options. It's noble and all to want to change the world, but most people probably are out there trying to make a living...<p>&#62; "If you’re smart enough, if you’re talented enough, if you have the drive, if you have the ability, and you’re motivated by making money, then you should just get a real job instead, like become a banker or an investor or a consultant or something." I'd be fine with this if he finished the sentence with "become something you're passionate about." If you have all the qualities he mentions in the first part of the sentence, than pursue something you're genuinely interested in.<p>As a side note, I'd be interested to see a list of some entrepreneurs who started companies with the sole intention of changing the world...

As someone who's about to become an entrepreneur, my reasons are: - Money: I do believe I can make a lot of money with the company I intend to start, but I should say I'm not going to start anything revolutionary, just corner a part of the market where there's a big demand (mobile development by contract). It should make me more money in less time then my current job does. - Flextime: I'm a bit of a work-a-holic so I'm kinda used to working 6 days a week. Most of the time I enjoy it. What I don't enjoy in a regular job is the fact that my employer wants me to work from 9 to 5. I'd like to be able to go jogging and shopping in the afternoon for example and continue some work early in the evening. - Fun: I enjoy short-term projects (1 to 2 months) more then long-term projects (1 year or more). - Power: well, with power I mostly think about the power to choose my own working processes and tools and not be limited with what my manager decides upon. For example: I'm not very fond of many aspects of SCRUM, but it seems kinda popular these days.

"you should just get a real job instead, like become a banker or an investor or a consultant or something"<p>yeah, consulting. the pie-eating contest where the prize is more pie. but at least you have a nice salary to pay back your MBA student loans. and you get to travel every week and get fat eating out every meal and drinking at networking events.

It felt like I was a fresher listening to a senior at college doing the raw talk about the truths at college. You might not like them at first, but you will realize utterly that they are the truths and might even find yourself saying the same to another fellow, a different day.<p>I couldn't agree with everything though - Evernote is second brain of the universe? Is it not under rating the human brain? Human brain is capable of many amazing things. If I am going to hear some one call something a second brain, it should be able to take decisions. Evernote is only a digital notebook that is accessible from many platforms keeping all the users away from a lot of dirty work(copying, syncing, etc.). That's it. I don't think that could ever CHANGE THE WORLD. That will only MAKE MY LIFE EASIER. I could even argue that entrepreneurship is more about MAKING MY LIFE EASIER than about CHANGING THE WORLD.<p>When I get five minutes of waiting time, I don't open evernote to write something or read something. I open my twitter account and follow up with the links on hackernewsbot and few other tweets from people I like. That makes me feel productive. If I don't feel like reading technical things, I open my facebook and check what my friends are upto and I still feel productive.

&#62; <i>A lot of people think that they want to be an entrepreneur because it’s a good way to make money. It just isn’t, that’s just wrong. Depending on how you count, 95% to 99% of companies fail.</i><p>Bubbles like the one we have now are not common. It will continue until the Fed takes away the punchbowl, so make hay while the sun shines (and mix those metaphors while the mixing is good.)

Regarding "Flex time" it is nice to also compare with the other extreme "On managing my time" by Martin Varsavsky: <a href="http://english.martinvarsavsky.net/new-ideas/on-managing-my-time.html" rel="nofollow">http://english.martinvarsavsky.net/new-ideas/on-managing-my-...</a>

A true entrepreneur wouldn't be dissuaded by somebody else's "don't do it" advice.

I don't think this advice applies to every type of business. Particularly service-oriented startups that are able to land paying clients right from the beginning.<p>I will agree though that working at a company that isn't financially stable is not a good place for someone who needs financial stability. Imagine your boss telling you that your next paycheck will only be half - or they can't pay it at all, but you'll get paid back later. Imagine that happening occasionally throughout the year. Add to that a constant, looming feeling that your company could go out of business any day even though you love working there. If those kinds of things upset or stress you out then a startup probably isn't a good place to work.

&#62; Power ... join the military<p>Actually, I'm a mid grade officer in the Navy; I was recently told I was "part of the seniority plan" in my unit. I knew where Libin was going with that as soon as I read the subtitle. I answer to <i>everyone</i>!

IMHO the article misses the best part of the talk (in the middle somewhere). Ironically, given the "don't do it" bit.. Libin makes the point that now's a better time than ever to be an entrepreneur, and among the usual OSS/StuffsCheapNow points, he concludes that today the best product is more likely to 'win' than it has been in the past... Especially in the consumer space. Further pointing out that this essentially creates a meritocracy for people who are good at making things (even if they suck at sales/marketing).<p>The talk is definitely better than the flamebait title.

Starting a company should be about making money. There are also other reasons but I think they should be considered as secondary.

Who's the audience? Sounds to me like he's looking for employees who will take a piece of changing the world (equity?) over cold hard cash.<p>Based on all the talkers I hear, and the positive feedback they constantly get about how "cool" it is that they want to be an entrepreneur.. I think a good hard "don't do it" would be helpful fire under their butts to JFDI.

Reason to do it: Because you have to. When all else fails, your only option my be to hustle up your own work. For the thousands of people in the U.S. who have been unemployed for over a year, do it! I'm another example, I live in the Philippines but I can't work here because I'm a U.S. citizen, so my only option is running my own business.

I hear this exact message a million times on Hacker News: a speech from an entrepreneur discouraging others to be like him/her... unless they are really serious about it. This is played to the point of cliche. For once, I'd love to see an article entitled "don't do it" and really actually mean it.

I'm not sure what the point of this talk is. Are people supposed to walk away, saying "wow, that was inspiring!"<p>If you don't have anything good to say, don't say it at all.<p>Entrepreneurship is very much an individual sport in that there are no hard and fast rules. Take all advice with a grain of pepper.

"Seven out of 10 new employer firms survive at least 2 years, half at least 5 years, a third at least 10 years, and a quarter stay in business 15 years or more." - According to the US SBA <a href="http://s831.us/IXGBFK" rel="nofollow">http://s831.us/IXGBFK</a>

Who doesn't start a business thinking they're going to make money? Wouldn't it otherwise be called charity or a hobby? Sure, maybe not hogwild money, but I think getting paid for something for delivering something of value might be a definition of business?

My number 1 reason to be an entrepreneur is freedom, and money is the means to freedom ...

I don't know anyone who makes more than $500K a year. Everyone I know who makes more than $60K a year running their own business, says their only regret is not starting earlier.

What else are we suppose to do?

Ooh, me, me, pick me. Let me guess! Do it because you want to <i>change the world</i>?<p>It's a laughable, tired cliche now, especially coming from a guy who made the equivalent of a digital hipster moleskine who isn't changing a god damn thing about this world. People are still broke, sick, and starving. But I can take awesome notes on my MacBook Air!<p>The better answer is "because it's interesting and fun and challenging and sometimes disappointing and a fantastic learning experience and you might get rich or go broke while experiencing the full, unfiltered range of human emotions and potential".<p>It also happens to be more truthful and conforms more to the modal outcome.

Troll or motivation by saying "rest of you can't do what I did." Sounds like a troll.