Being a startup is like being a gladiator. Every day is another war. Every day other startups die. Every day of survival doesn't fill you with relief; you just think of tomorrow's doom.
The general public only sees the sausages that come out of the factory. They only see the glory of massively successful companies like Dropbox. They would be horrified if they saw inside. The blood dripping through the grated floor. The graveyard of bones ground up and spit out as meal for the next "lucky" founder.
This week the public has gotten a taste of how Tesla's sausage is made. Truth is; every day for Tesla has been like this. The truth is, every day in Tesla's life has been the closest it has ever come to death.
Those in HN who've built a company know this. But they also know _why_ they suffer this pain.
A mere two months ago SpaceX launched humanity's dreams into the outer reaches. Meanwhile Tesla is single-handedly altering the course of ground transportation.
Last weekend we took a trip to San Diego in a Tesla. An all electric trip, charged up using the solar panels at our home, with most of the travel time driven by autopilot. The future drove us there and back again. That's why Tesla does what it does.
I don't see the point in discussing Tesla's financials and their "impending" doom. Instead, I think the only appropriate thing to say is...
Nos morituri te salutamus