I was looking at the video of CodeCombat's startup school interview(btw congrats Nick/George/Scott!) and replayed the part where PaulG said-YC applicants who have stayed long working for large companies is a bad thing for us.Well I am one such person.But whatever experience/assumptions Paul might have to believe so certainly doesn't define me.Especially considering different kinds of society,cultures & norms.I am not trying to prove that PaulG's opinion is wrong;I am just presenting my case that it's not entirely true, for them or any other investor for that matter.
Yes,I stayed with a large company:1)Because I got my freedom (95% of it):Paul mentions in his article (http://www.paulgraham.com/boss.html) how even in a small organization freedom might not come easy.It can't be more than true!However,I got mine!Basically,I earned it by being an intrapreneur with every opportunity I could grab.
2)Each challenge was bigger than the last:I asked for it and I got it.When there wasn't a challenge they could throw at me I created one myself.
3)It exposed me to new countries/cultures.
4)It gave my parents peace of mind-An employed/independent/settled daughter is a big thing for Indian parents.Well I did more than that;I ensured I am financially capable of taking care of them whenever they need.
So my point here's that working in large org didn't make me think less ideas or be satisfied with what I have,rather it has left we asking for more.It made me realize that I didn’t fit the large organization category,I am person who loves change,I get bored by routine.I love when it’s challenging,bored when everything is smooth, challenge rules/policies that are more restrictive than effective etc.So here I am with my mojo intact determined to take my startup to the levels I dream because I come from the other side knowing exactly what I want and don't.
Sounds like you were lucky.<p>I took the comment to mean that the most successful founders typically get so fed up with the Byzantine systems at large companies that they leave. And, they leave quickly.<p>PG is likely just pattern matching. The successful founders that he has seen don't stay long at large companies.
My word, please at least attempt to add space after the periods ending your sentence and perhaps even using a couple of newlines to create paragraphs.<p>I hope your marketing copy isn't as hard to read as this post.