Whatever you think of App.net aside (I'm not an optimist about it): this post is dead on. Acting out of "Fear of money" is probably the most common routine unforced error harming startups that post on HN. You can see the syndrome in virtually any thread on this site that involves a price tag.
This is the exact same force that causes enterprise "Account Managers" (direct sales people) to outearn sales engineers by 4-5x, even though the SEs do all the real work. Account managers have learned how to Ask For The Sale. I can't do that, have no idea how they do it, am sort of in awe of salespeople as a result; I function in business largely by understanding and respecting the limitation I possess. Money is terrifying.
The post is definitely correct, but I think the App.net scenario is a startup unicorn from which valuable conclusions are difficult to draw. There's very little that they did that others could repeat.
Comments
Whatever you think of App.net aside (I'm not an optimist about it): this post is dead on. Acting out of "Fear of money" is probably the most common routine unforced error harming startups that post on HN. You can see the syndrome in virtually any thread on this site that involves a price tag.
This is the exact same force that causes enterprise "Account Managers" (direct sales people) to outearn sales engineers by 4-5x, even though the SEs do all the real work. Account managers have learned how to Ask For The Sale. I can't do that, have no idea how they do it, am sort of in awe of salespeople as a result; I function in business largely by understanding and respecting the limitation I possess. Money is terrifying.
The post is definitely correct, but I think the App.net scenario is a startup unicorn from which valuable conclusions are difficult to draw. There's very little that they did that others could repeat.