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You need this sort of a tailwind to make a startup successful.

Sam Altman

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Sam Altman
Age: 39
Born: 1985
Born: April 22
Entrepreneur
Chicago
Illinois
Samuel H. Altman
Samuel Altman
Make
Sort
Successful
Need
Needs

More quotes by Sam Altman

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Every company has a rocky beginning.
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At the beginning, you should only hire when you have a desperate need to.
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Growth and momentum are what a startup lives on and you always have to focus on maintaining these.
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In general though, if you look at the track record of pivots, they don't become big companies.
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Everyone starting a startup for the first time is scared, and everyone feels like a bit of an imposter.
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Mediocre founders spend a lot of time talking about grand plans, but they never quite make a decision.
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... fire fast when it's not working. It's better for the company, it's also better for the employee.
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The company just needs to see you as like this maniacal execution machine.
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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.
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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.
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Long term thinking is so rare anywhere, but especially in startups. This is a huge advantage if you do it.
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Founders need to figure out what the message of the company is going to be.
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You don't need to make the structure complicated, in fact you shouldn't. All you need is for every employee to know who their manager is.
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As you grow, it feels hopelessly corporate but it really is worth putting in place these compensation bands.
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Losing focus is another way that founders get off track.
Sam Altman
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Be suspicious of any work that is not building product or getting customers.
Sam Altman
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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 often disrupts momentum and really shouldn't is competitors.
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Developing a personal connection with anyone you're trying to do a big deal with is really important.
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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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