Questions (Warning: might be considered rude)!)

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Post originally by Mad Karl at 2001-08-07 15:15:24
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Would you have been able to do this if

a) You didn't have brilliant friends (let's say you hadn't gone to one of the best colleges in the nation, nay world, and so did not have the opportunity to meet such intelligent people)

b) You didn't have a friend with parents wealthy enough to lend you $100,000.00 as "seed money" (again, let's say you hadn't gone to a college where many affluent people send their children, and so did not have the opportunity to meet someone with affluent parents.)

c) You didn't have a friend who knew people in the network trade.

d) You didn't have a friend who wrote for the Wall Street Journal

e) You didn't have an employee who had a contact at MIT that could give you a good deal on a patent license.

f) You didn't have a father who worked for an investment firm.

g) You didn't have a friend with an ex-boyfriend at Microsoft.

h) You didn't have a friend with a former frat brother at Kleimer-Perkins.

i) You didn't have parents who could lend you $2500 when you ran out of cash.

If you didn't have all these things, do you really think that your incredible idea, your simple faith in yourself, and your willingness to push yourself would have been enough by themself to make your company a success?

I really would like to know, because, honestly, if all it really takes is brains and hard work, then I am going to find that millionaire inside me.

[RPGnet Columns]

Post originally by Sandy Antunes at 2001-08-07 16:21:24
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Hi,

All of your question is exactly why I wrote this satirical piece. I am, alas, not actually a millionnaire.

I was very, very tired of the endlessly hyped "Internet Golden Age" articles about how "the guy next door starts a company and becomes a millionnaire!"

From my experiences in the whole dot-com thing, though, I found the story was more like my soapbox, here. Especially b, d, and f.

You did miss one bit in your analysis-- that the 'founder' made millions, while his so-called friends made only a fraction of that, despite doing all the work. Other than that, though, you noticed every 'button' I was trying to push.

Less cynically, you _can_ become a millionnaire through hard work and a bit of luck (not that _I_ have, but I know people who have done well). But it isn't the through quick flash like the dot-com hype, but by old-school techniques: build, grow, risk a bit, and build some more.

Cheers,
Sandy
sandy@rpg.net

[RPGnet Columns]

Post originally by Corporate Dog at 2001-08-07 19:54:03
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<i>Less cynically, you _can_ become a millionnaire through hard work and a bit of luck... But it isn't the through quick flash like the dot-com hype</i>

ESPECIALLY these days. The gravy train of venture capitalists who are willing to jump at the mere phrase "dot-com" has long left the station, and gotten ambushed by indians along the way.

Frankly, I think I have one or two good ideas that I could use to launch my own business, and I probably will someday, but right now I don't think ANYBODY would be willing to risk money on a project even tangently related to the Internet.

Regards,
Corporate Dog

[RPGnet Columns]

Post originally by Starhawk at 2001-08-08 07:58:45
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Really - no text.

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Post originally by Calmer Karl with egg on face at 2001-08-08 17:06:08
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Err, yes, indeed I too get mad when I see these "anyone can be a millionaire" pieces. So mad that I lose my ability to notice that it was an intentional parody!

My apologies, Sandy.