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Which traits doom an entrepreneur?

1 points by roboticleopard ↗ HN
There's a lot out on the web about what traits great entrepreneurs/founders have (for example: www.paulgraham.com/founders.html), but what are some red flags in terms of founder personalities/traits, etc?

I'll throw a few out as possibilities: lazy? arrogant? lack of curiosity? risk averse? what about bad people skills?

12 comments

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dmor
believing that a list of traits - either positive or negative - is a substitute for your own judgement
smoyer
Indecision ... get off your butt and do something!
rman666
A lack of making a profit or positive cash-flow over an extended period of time would seem to be traits that might doom an entrepreneur.
Mz
"Traits" are neutral and don't predetermine outcomes.

"Lazy" -- my sons assure me it's another word for "efficient". If done right, it absolutely can be an asset. "Arrogant" -- often what other people call "confidence". If you can bring it, other people will accuse you of all kinds of crap for doing so. So? "Risk averse" -- depends on a lot of things. I am very risk averse. I expect to go out on my own someday because I don't trust my future in the hands of BigCo. Seems to risky to me do so.

Traits are two-edged swords. If you are stuck with some trait and it is in your way, getting it out of your way doesn't necessarily mean changing the trait. It can mean looking for the right fit between who you are and the world around you.

phlux
Efficient people get something done, then have time to spare. Lazy people don't get anything done.

Confident people listen to reason and input on how to do something they're already good at, better - and take new information with grace. Arrogant people believe they operate at a different level than others (See: Jason Calcanis)

Risk-averse people weigh a ton of information in order to actually make the right step FORWARD. Fear-based people avoid all risk because any movement forward causes them worry about losing what they already have, thus they don't gain anything new.

Mz
I have been accused of "laziness" my whole life. Part of the reason: I have a medical condition that wasn't diagnosed until late in life. I just didn't have the energy other people around me had. Still, I graduated high school STAR student, national merit scholarship winner, state alternate for the governor's honors program...etc...while missing 18 and 19 days of school every single year and dragging myself to school sick much of the rest of the time. My youngest son had trouble learning to write. He was qualified for the gifted program in 3 states, so the teacher refused to work with me and insisted he could do it, he was "just being lazy". I pulled him out to homeschool. He has a learning disability. I got him caught up in writing, improving by more than a grade level in three months.

It has not been my experience that people who get labeled "lazy" really are. They usually have some issue and figuring out what the real issue is and helping them with it is generally far more effective than simply labeling, blaming, and condemning them.

I also get accused of "arrogance", a huge ego and many other things. I really don't think any of that is true either.

So I am sorry but you and I aren't likely to see eye-to-eye on this topic.

phlux
Thats cool - I wasnt calling anyone out. I have ADHD tendencies and I procrastinate a lot. I am not "lazy" I get a lot done -- sometimes though, its not what should be high on my priority list.

Lots of people get called arrogant, but there is a difference between having confidence and being an asshole.

Good job with your son. Did you work from home to be able to do that for him?

Mz
I was a homemaker for many years. Not your typical demographic for this site. :-D

As for confidence vs a-hole: I go way out of my way to not be an a-hole. It fails to protect me from personal attacks and accusations (though it does tend to reduce it, it doesn't exempt me from running into a-holes).

My main point is that negative characterizations generally don't move anyone forward and are usually not "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth". Mental framing is part of that. Most people are trained from early childhood to view things negatively. It is a counterproductive habit for many people and finding another framework can be very freeing and empowering.

jasonmcalacanis
I do operate on a different level than others--typically two levels below.
phlux
Sorry, you're an easy target simply because you have put yourself out there so much. You do deserve a bit more respect - just some of the things you have written really hit a nerve with me.

:)

Mz
"There's no such thing as bad publicity." :-)

(Attributed to Mae West and probably any number of other people.)

tst
Being too egocentric. E.g, if your prospects don't like your product you should change it and don't insist that it is great and they are too stupid to use it. It's not about you, it's about them!