[StandardFuture]

While I am not the first person to defend Paul Graham's writing, I must admit that the author of this article has zero understanding of what is actually meant by the phrase "just do it."

All that statement relays is this: there is no secret formula to having a successful startup! So, the only way to figure things out is to actually be out there doing it.

It is very true that you can learn things working for someone else that would contribute to your future startup. But that is highly dependent on who you are working for and what you are doing for them.

As in regards to the cited studies. The first study actually lists a total of 8 important factors for startups that lasted longer than 5 years and were started between 1991-2000. Interestingly, startups during those years had a 1 in 5 chance of survival. (Sidepoint: Does anyone know if the survival rate for startups today is anywhere close to this rate?) In other words, industry experience is only one of many factors ... and industry experience means having worked in the same industry as your startup, it doesn't mean working in any industry for any employer.

To list the 8 important factors for everyone (and I have a feeling that these are in order of importance):

1. supply chain integration 2. market scope 3. firm age 4. size of founding team 5. financial resources 6. founders' marketing experience 7. founders' industry experience 8. existence of patent protection

[0] http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-5885.2007....