[with]

The metaphor is broken. The snowball grows passively over time naturally, but being a founder requires you to actively create value in your startup. Snow doesn't choose to stick to your ball based on PMF, and the entire piece romanticizes grinding without once mentioning customers, revenue, or whether you're solving a real problem people will pay for.

I think it's dangerous sentiment to say if you create a snowball (startup) and just keep pushing it forever it is guaranteed to grow to something large. Some might say "duh, of course", but I still think a lot of people don't understand this.

[bruce511]

Yeah, but its a metaphor of the creation process. It's perhaps a bit on the light side when it comes to obstacles, but it's not a bad metaphor of the business creation journey.

I would perhaps point out this is not a VC business journey, that snowball looks very different.

And sure, the business starts in a easy environment (lots of snow on the ground) but the idea of starting alone resonates.

And it leaves out the sun. That pesky sun which melts the snow causing 9 out of 10 snowballs to melt. The sun, which melts the snow around you even as you struggle to push. Your direction is meaningless if you insist on pushing away from the snow.

[methyl]

> The snowball grows passively over time naturally

Only if you push it down the mountain. Then it’s also susceptible to crashing and breaking down.

Normally what you do is you have to push the snowball manually. The bigger it gets, the more people you need to push it in a coordinated manner.

I think it’s excellent metaphor.

[bryantwolf]

You’re entitled to your opinion, but I don’t think that’s what I wrote.

[antonvs]

> I think it's dangerous sentiment to say if you create a snowball (startup) and just keep pushing it forever it is guaranteed to grow to something large.

You first have to find somewhere that involves pushing it mostly downhill instead of uphill. Otherwise this turns into the tale of Sisyphus.

[withinboredom]

Yes. But a hill is easy to push up when it’s small and sticks to the snow. As it gets bigger, you can still go uphill but you just have to be strategic about it (as mentioned in the story). But small snowballs can go uphill all day long, they just have to make it to the top of the hill before they get too big.

[antonvs]

> But a hill is easy to push up when it’s small and sticks to the snow.

Depends how steep it is. In this metaphor, I guess we're talking about something like product market fit.

[nwhnwh]

Stay away from metaphors. They are higher than your rational level.