Morgan Collett wrote: > Interesting essay by Paul Graham on running a startup like a > non-profit - the power of benevolence: http://paulgraham.com/good.html > > I found it inspiring in the context of OLPC, given that OLPC is a > non-profit, yet going through startup-style challenges. > > Note his section on morale: > > "Morale is tremendously important to a startup—so important that > morale alone is almost enough to determine success. Startups are often > described as emotional roller-coasters. One minute you're going to > take over the world, and the next you're doomed. The problem with > feeling you're doomed is not just that it makes you unhappy, but that > it makes you stop working. So the downhills of the roller-coaster are > more of a self fulfilling prophecy than the uphills. If feeling you're > going to succeed makes you work harder, that probably improves your > chances of succeeding, but if feeling you're going to fail makes you > stop working, that practically guarantees you'll fail." > > "Here's where benevolence comes in. If you feel you're really helping > people, you'll keep working even when it seems like your startup is > doomed." > > Anyway, read the whole essay to get the context. > > Morgan I liked this picture from former OLPC worker Ivan Krstic' describing the startup process: http://radian.org/notebook/startup-process
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