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Firing people is one of the worst parts of running a company. Actually in my own experience, I think it is the worst.

Sam Altman

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Sam Altman
Age: 39
Born: 1985
Born: April 22
Entrepreneur
Chicago
Illinois
Samuel H. Altman
Samuel Altman
Running
Think
Firing
Thinking
Parts
People
Team
Worst
Company
Actually
Experience

More quotes by Sam Altman

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Some day everyone will find out everyone else's comp, if it's all over the place, it will be a complete meltdown disaster
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Most startups are not nearly focussed enough. They work hard...maybe, but they don't work hard on the right things.
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Every company has a rocky beginning.
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In the early stage of a startup, hiring senior people is usually a mistake. You just want people that get stuff done.
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When it comes to starting startups, in many ways, it's easier to start a hard startup than an easy startup.
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One thing that often disrupts momentum and really shouldn't is competitors.
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No growth hack, brilliant marketing idea, or sales team can save you long term if you don't have a sufficiently good product.
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If someone is getting every decision wrong, that's when you need to act, and at that point it'll be painfully aware to everyone.
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The hard part is that this is a very fine line. There's right on one side of it, and crazy on the other.
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If you want something in a deal, just ask for it.
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The second part of how to hire: try not to.
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Or a way to stay on strangers couches, that just sounds terrible all around.
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Most investors are obsessed with the market size today and they don't think about how the market is going to evolve.
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Most things are not as risky as they seem.
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In general, it's best if you're building something that you yourself need.
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When lack of structure fails, it fails all at once. What works totally fine from 0-20 employees, is disastrous at 30.
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In YC's case, the number one cause of early death for startups is cofounder blowups.
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One thing that founders forget is that after they hire employees, they have to retain them.
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The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.
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I think as a rough estimate, you should aim to give about 10% of the company to the first 10 employees.
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