Quote

You only get points when you make something the market wants. So if you work really hard on the wrong things, no one will care.

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
Something
Really
Points
Make
Market
Things
Wants
Wrong
Care
Hard
Work

More quotes by Sam Altman

Image
If you want something in a deal, just ask for it.
Sam Altman
Image
What being a founder means, is signing up for this years long grind on execution - and you can't outsource this.
Sam Altman
Image
In addition to relentlessly resourceful, you want a tough and a calm cofounder.
Sam Altman
Image
Every company has a rocky beginning.
Sam Altman
Image
... how much time you should be spending on hiring? The answer is 0 or 25 percent.
Sam Altman
Image
Everyone starting a startup for the first time is scared, and everyone feels like a bit of an imposter.
Sam Altman
Image
A small communication breakdown is enough for everyone to be working on slightly different things. And then you loose focus.
Sam Altman
Image
In general, it's best if you're building something that you yourself need.
Sam Altman
Image
You need to figure out what the 2 or 3 most important things are, and then just do those.
Sam Altman
Image
To get the very best people- they have a lot of great options, and so it can easily take a year to recruit someone.
Sam Altman
Image
A board member of mine used to say sales fix everything in a startup, and that is really true.
Sam Altman
Image
Before product/market fit, your only job that matters is to build a great product.
Sam Altman
Image
One thing that founders forget is that after they hire employees, they have to retain them.
Sam Altman
Image
You need this sort of a tailwind to make a startup successful.
Sam Altman
Image
Mediocre founders spend a lot of time talking about grand plans, but they never quite make a decision.
Sam Altman
Image
One of the great and terrible things about starting a start up is that you get no credit for trying.
Sam Altman
Image
In general though, if you look at the track record of pivots, they don't become big companies.
Sam Altman
Image
... the thing we see wrong with YC apps most frequently, is that people have not thought about the market first and what people want first.
Sam Altman
Image
In the early stage of a startup, hiring senior people is usually a mistake. You just want people that get stuff done.
Sam Altman
Image
Later, you should learn to hire fast and scale up the company, but in the early days the goal should be not to hire. Not to hire.
Sam Altman