Quote

In YC's case, the number one cause of early death for startups is cofounder blowups.

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
Cases
Numbers
Team
Causes
Death
Case
Early
Number
Cause

More quotes by Sam Altman

Image
You need unstoppable people. You want people that are just going to get it done.
Sam Altman
Image
At the beginning, you should only hire when you have a desperate need to.
Sam Altman
Image
... but the pendulum has swung way out of whack here. A bad idea is still bad, and the pivot happy world we're in today feels suboptimal.
Sam Altman
Image
If you don't need it yourself, and you're building something that someone else needs, realize you're at a big disadvantage.
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
As you grow, it feels hopelessly corporate but it really is worth putting in place these compensation bands.
Sam Altman
Image
In the beginning of a company, there is no management and this actually works really well.
Sam Altman
Image
Be suspicious of any work that is not building product or getting customers.
Sam Altman
Image
The role of the board is advice and consent. If the CEO does not lay out a clear strategy and tries to get the board to set one, it will usually end in disaster.
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
If you pivot, do it fully and with conviction. The worst thing is to try to do a bit of the old and the new-it's hard to kill your babies.
Sam Altman
Image
If you have several ideas that all seem pretty good, work on the one that you think about, when you're not trying to think about work.
Sam Altman
Image
You cannot create a market that doesn't want to exist.
Sam Altman
Image
... and you can only have 2 or 3 things everyday, because everything else will just come at you you know fires in a day.
Sam Altman
Image
Employees will only add more value over time.
Sam Altman
Image
Founders are usually very stingy with equity to employees and very generous with equity to investors. I think this is totally backwards.
Sam Altman
Image
You need conviction in your own beliefs, and the willingness to ignore others naysaying.
Sam Altman
Image
You're saying no ninety-seven times out of a hundred, and most founders find they have to make a very conscious effort to do this.
Sam Altman
Image
In addition to relentlessly resourceful, you want a tough and a calm cofounder.
Sam Altman
Image
The startups that do well are the ones that are working all the time.
Sam Altman