A lot like being a gambling addict. It really is gambling your time and energy.
The difference is that at a Casino, all games are rigged so that your expected value over large number of iterations in any game is that you'll lose money. In a startup, the expected value over investing a lot of time and energy is that you'll gain money in the end. VCs are giving you money to keep gambling, and asking you to give them a cut of your winnings. The house is run by the market.
The difference is that at a Casino, all games are rigged so that your expected value over large number of iterations in any game is that you'll lose money. In a startup, the expected value over investing a lot of time and energy is that you'll gain money in the end. VCs are giving you money to keep gambling, and asking you to give them a cut of your winnings. The house is run by the market.