Does being more considerate make me a worse founder?
I was watching an interview with Tom Blomfield on the 20VC podcast the other day and he was talking about the characteristics of the highest-quality founders. “I don’t think founders are necessarily the most likable people, because you have to be, in a sense, contrarian. If you just agree with everything that happens around you, you’re never going to create something different.” I’ve thought about my likeness and the relationships I form quite a bit this year, and I’ve heard that investors like odd founders. They like it when we’re a little bit off, got a couple screws loose, maybe a little too arrogant, and I think that’s a fair box to tick when looking at companies you think will get to a billion. I’m of the same belief that you have to be crazy to be a founder, which is why I love it. Lately, I’ve been thinking about this idea of “likeability”. I go back and forth between wanting people to like me and wanting to do my own thing regardless of what anyone tells me. It’s a clever balan
I was watching an interview with Tom Blomfield on the 20VC podcast the other day and he was talking about the characteristics of the highest-quality founders. “I don’t think founders are necessarily the most likable people, because you have to be, in a sense, contrarian. If you just agree with everything that happens around you, you’re never going to create something different.” I’ve thought about my likeness and the relationships I form quite a bit this year, and I’ve heard that investors like odd founders. They like it when we’re a little bit off, got a couple screws loose, maybe a…
related reading
- Why It's Safe for Founders to Be Nicepaulgraham.com
- Startup Advice - Sam Altmanblog.samaltman.com
- Max Hodak - Advice for prospective startup foundersmaxhodak.com
- “Build What’s Fundable” - by Kyle Harrison - Investing 101investing101.substack.com
- how to be a kid who goes placesmothfund.substack.com
- I'm learning to be a good founder and managersubstack.com
- The “Intangible” Game: How VCs See Younfx.com
- What We Look for in Founderspaulgraham.com
- the earnest ambitious kid's guide to investorsmothfund.substack.com
- How To Invest In Startups - Sam Altmanblog.samaltman.com
- Super successful companies - Sam Altmanblog.samaltman.com
- Before the Startuppaulgraham.com