Why it sucks to build a startup with the “Google Method”

This is not just the Google method. It is also the Facebook, Twitter, and probably Quora method, where you defer thinking about monetisation in order to first better define your product and gain many users.

And in fact it's only obvious in hindsight that this method worked for Google. For a long time before they came up with AdWords they were burning through cash with no clear idea of how to generate profits. Their VC's were rather nervous at this.