[ladytron]

Founders don't start companies to live a "pretty good life in the top 10%".

We do it because we are ambitious, want to solve huge technical and business problems, make our mark, and change the world.

We usually have more energy and sleep less than others. We love work. We love our business. Most of us would not want to be corporate "drones". It would be like a living death.

[ben_jones]

I fear most entrepreneurs really do care about leaving a mark. Any mark. Ad tech companies? Big data (selling) companies? Marketing (convince the consumer to buy something excessive) companies? LinkedIn and other companies that intentionally force dark patterns on their users? Security companies selling spyware and hacking tools to anyone who'll pay?

The world could do with fewer of those marks IMO.

[ladytron]

The same could be said about the corporate raiders that run many tech companies. They leave ethics at the door "I'm just doing my job to support my family".

I think people who start their own companies sometimes do so because they can have more control over product quality and quality of life for their team.

[Aeolun]

I'm confident most entrepreneurs care about leaving a good mark. It's just that people that are intent on leaving a bad mark, any mark, generally have an easier time of it.

[ben_jones]

Put someone with the best of intentions in a desperate, stressful, situation and you'll see a wide variety of outcomes.

[CPLX]

> We do it because we are ambitious, want to solve huge technical and business problems, make our mark, and change the world.

That's a theory.

I've been around this world a while and I'm pretty sure ego is the primary driving force for entrepreneurs. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I do have little patience for people telling me they want to "change the world" by creating an obviously inconsequential consumer web app or the equivalent. People want to be in charge, they want to be the boss, they want to be looked up to and praised and rewarded and feel different and exceptional. It's not so bad to just admit it.

[meesterdude]

> I do have little patience for people telling me they want to "change the world" by creating an obviously inconsequential consumer web app or the equivalent

I know what you mean - while also building a consumer app to change the world (well, the worlds of people).

There is certainly BS out there and it does draw out my patience. But likewise, there are apps and services out there that really are trying to change the world.

But in the end, you're not a mind reader. Everyone is different and has different reasons, although there are certainly trends.

[CPLX]

While it's true that you can't read minds, it is at least somewhat possible to read actions. You can certainly see guys like Craig Newmark or Scott Heiferman who make obvious visible decisions against their own material self interest in service of a broader principle. For the most part it's those exceptions that prove the rule in my opinion.

Again, I don't think it's a pejorative observation at all. I think wanting to feel valuable and special, and a desire to have resources, are quite fine things to cultivate in life, and I think a decent measure of our society is to see how well we do at giving everyone an opportunity to do those things.

The original article in this thread seems to be written by someone who is consumed by regard for their own self image, and has trouble admitting it. Being self-deprecating is not the same thing as being humble at all, it's just the other side of the oversized ego coin.

He goes on about how great he is and then how horrible and hurtful he is as if those are the only two ways to possibly evaluate him, while excluding the obvious first default theory we all start with, which is that his life is mostly inconsequential.

[dennisgorelik]

> Being self-deprecating is not the same thing as being humble at all, it's just the other side of the oversized ego coin.

Exactly. My impression from reading Kenan Hopkins' article was that he self-deprecates himself in order to get some social points.

[scarface74]

That's true and I told the guy that he has to make a choice. Either he has to be willing to "settle" with being a corporate drone and enjoy a nice work life balance or come up with a great idea and go all in and execute. Very few if any of the well known startups get successful by doing it "on the side".

[return0]

i mainly want to make money. if i can also improve the world, all the better.

[refurb]

I applaud your honesty.

From the entrepreneurs I've talked to, it's usually a combination of money and ego. They want to change the world because then "people will know who I am".