[calroc]

"KNOW HOW THE DOUGHNUTS ARE MADE"

In my recent experience working for startups in the SF Bay Area I saw this pattern repeatedly, and it shocked me. Otherwise intelligent and competent people are, in effect, setting their money on fire and wasting lots of time and energy playing at having a real company.

For some reason people think they can start and run a "web startup" without the most basic understanding of what they're attempting to do (technically.) At one point I said to a developer co-worker, "These folks have only ever seen the Internet from the outside." He agreed.

It seems to me that part of the issue stems from the invisible nature of the machinery we build. If it were cars, or houses, I don't think folks would be quite so ready to blindly charge into business.

But part of it is just weird.

I'm actually looking for work right now but, because I no longer wish to work as a carpenter on the Winchester Mystery House (look it up) I'm having a hard time finding a job I can feel good about. More pay doesn't tempt me, nor the prospect of warm fuzzy social interaction with co-workers. I want to work with people who know what they're doing.

[mgkimsal]

"setting their money on fire"

Usually they're setting someone else's money on fire...

[calroc]

Well, waste is waste.

Burning VC money is practically criminal when you think of the "opportunity cost" of what might have been achieved with it.

The saddest was overhearing a (retired) doctor I worked for attempting to mortgage his house.