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Comment by johnrob | Hacker News Reader

Money is just money. It can be squandered, mal-invested, taxed, or simply inflated away. However, the guts that all of those founders showed will forever be a reference point for their careers. Many can claim they would turn down 100M, but few have actually done it.

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So the goal is to turn down 100MM offers, so you can show off you had the courage to do it?

I disagree with that.

It's so much easier to start a new venture once you have had a successful exit. Investors throw money at you. My advice to founders would be to think of the impact that a successful exit can have on your entrepreneurial career. Think of paypal.

While I agree with you... I think Paypal is about as unique as it gets. See Paypal Mafia [1].

That company consolidated amazing talent (both technical & entrepreneurial) during the bubble, went IPO, which made many of many of those soon-to-be entrepreneurs wealthy. With cash in their back pockets, the started, fronted, and funded an incredible list of companies.

Ultimately, they utilized wealth, past success, and an incredible network to keep leveraging to build more of each.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PayPal_Mafia

That's the fall back. And it's not as bad is you'd think for those whose companies ultimately failed. The goal is to make the company into something significant.

I'm glad this is the first comment. We should be giving those who reject such offers MASSIVE KUDOS for having the gumption to turn down mere money for their dreams. Do you want to get rich or actually change this world? I hope we still remember why we tell each other tech is world changing - not just "life changing"

I would imagine that the employees of the startups in question would strongly disagree with you.

Sure, but then again we're too friendly to mercenaries in this industry. I don't hire those types because I'm very mission focused and work on real problems - not sheep throwing.

You get one life to make a difference.

You want to make shit tons of money and live conspicuously? Move to NY and work for a bank.

You want to travel the world? Nomadic freelancing is a far surer path than trying to play the Startup Lottery.

'Change the World'? They were holding out on the 100 million offers mostly because they thought they could become billion dollar companies, if the article is to be believed.

I think it goes both ways. Some founders actually believe in their companies and their vision, whereas others are just holding out for a bigger payday. While it is nice to hear stories about founders cashing out, we should also celebrate those who are actually trying to make a long lasting impact, regardless of whether they succeed or fail.

A business exists for its clients. If you reject an acquisition I hope you did it for your clients and not to feed your own ego.

I disagree. There is no one specification for why a business exists. That's up to the creator/s.

I have customers so I can build. I do not build so I can have customers.

The enjoyment of creation is my motivation, making money comes after that for me. I'll choose poverty over not enjoying what I do but being better off financially (indeed, I've made that choice countless times).

Your approach reverses all of that. Which is fine, but it's not how everybody chooses to live.

HT to you adventured! Don't let the Startup-Industrial Complex tell you what you want to work on and in what way. If you can get to sustainability and live how you wish - do that for your agency and sanity.

There's too much conformity around a group of people who all claim to be mavericks...

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