Quote

Everyone starting a startup for the first time is scared, and everyone feels like a bit of an imposter.

Sam Altman

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Sam Altman
Age: 39
Born: 1985
Born: April 22
Entrepreneur
Chicago
Illinois
Samuel H. Altman
Samuel Altman
Feels
Time
Imposter
Like
Scared
Starting
Bits
Everyone
Firsts
First

More quotes by Sam Altman

Image
You have to let your team get all the credit for all the good stuff that happens, and you take responsibility for the bad stuff.
Sam Altman
Image
You don't get to make their decisions but you do get to choose the decision makers.
Sam Altman
Image
You need this sort of a tailwind to make a startup successful.
Sam Altman
Image
You also want to fire people who a) create office politics, and b) who are persistently negative.
Sam Altman
Image
Aim to be the best in the world at whatever you do professionally. Even if you miss, you'll probably end up in a pretty good place.
Sam Altman
Image
You need to have a culture where people have very high quality standards in everything the company does, but still move quickly.
Sam Altman
Image
Because it's one of these sort of connections between nodes- every pair of people adds communication overhead.
Sam Altman
Image
If you compromise and hire someone mediocre you will always regret it.
Sam Altman
Image
When it comes to starting startups, in many ways, it's easier to start a hard startup than an easy startup.
Sam Altman
Image
You really want to know your cofounders for a while, ideally years.
Sam Altman
Image
You can basically change everything in a startup but the market.
Sam Altman
Image
You need conviction in your own beliefs, and the willingness to ignore others naysaying.
Sam Altman
Image
1 of the hardest parts about being a founder, is that there are a 100 important things competing for your attention each day.
Sam Altman
Image
In general, it's best if you're building something that you yourself need.
Sam Altman
Image
You think you have this great idea that everyone's going to come join, but that's not how it works.
Sam Altman
Image
I believe in fighting with investors to reduce the amount of equity they get and then being as generous as you possibly can with employees.
Sam Altman
Image
As you grow, it feels hopelessly corporate but it really is worth putting in place these compensation bands.
Sam Altman
Image
Be suspicious of any work that is not building product or getting customers. It's easy to get sucked into an infrastructure rewrite death spiral.
Sam Altman
Image
Ideas by themselves are not worth anything, only executing well is what creates value.
Sam Altman
Image
Some day everyone will find out everyone else's comp, if it's all over the place, it will be a complete meltdown disaster
Sam Altman