garry’s posterous - all I want to be is someone that makes new things and thinks about them

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I'm a designer/engineer. I'm also a cofounder at Posterous.

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Startup career path

If your goal is to start a company, it is mostly a waste of time to work anywhere but a startup.
--Chris Dixon via cdixon.org

I agree. Large company experience prepares you for the rigors of navigating fiefdom and hierarchy and pleasing your boss. Those goals don't align you with creating value in the marketplace. But that's the entire point of startups! Get closer to the metal, not farther away.

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Posted 1 month ago

4 comments

Oct 23, 2009
Sachin Agarwal said...
For the record (and I know you've heard this from me a million times), I had a great experience at Apple. It taught me how to ship products. It showed me how an organization should be run (or shouldn't be run). It made me appreciate process, and how to balance that with creativity and freedom.
We always said, working at Apple/Microsoft allowed us to learn how to build a company on someone else's dime/time.

I'm not sure I would be as successful as a startup founder if I hadn't started at Apple first.

Oct 23, 2009
Andrew Hong said...
This is great insight (both Gary and Sachin). I myself am working at a large consulting firm and have been at odds with moving over to a startup. I have experienced all the characteristics of a large company experience that you mention here and am frankly tired of doing all of that, while feeling like I am contributing nothing meaningful to society. I think the most difficult part of leaving your typical large company gig is the "safety" (in these sense of projects, income, etc.) that it provides. I have noticed, however, the longer you stay in a situation like that, the harder it is to leave. But hey, you've gotta give a little to get a little right?
Oct 23, 2009
Kyle Kemper said...
I had this same debate a couple years ago in university. While getting right into a start-up may seem like a good idea towards starting your own business you'll miss some valuable experience that a large organization can teach you.

Bug businesses have established processes that have garnered success. If you want to start your own small business then you should get into a large organization to observe and understand how a big business works...even if you don't like your job it's valuable experience.

In a start-up if you work directly for the founders you may find your job crosses many functions and your paycheck may not be guaranteed...depending on your role stress may effect your entire life.

That being if you want to be an entrepreneur then climbing the corporate ladder is not for you and you should definitely get in with a start-up that aligns with your interest. The thing about start-ups is it's a great opportunity to make it big but there is a huge risk of failure.

Personally, I was fortunate enough to work in VC (as an analyst) for a large Bank right out university. That was great experience but i knew there was no career in that for me so when I met an entrepreneur who was on to something big I decided to switch sides...best move of my life so far.

Oct 23, 2009
Garry Tan said...
I guess the larger rule really is -- leave when you stop learning. Earlier in my career I worried that I was not doing the right thing when I left when I stopped learning at a place... but I think its turning out to be the right move. Life is too short.

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