Success Mode

you're going to need a framework

My return to the internet this week was filled with too many articles and posts commenting on two distinct issues. The first was why ChatGPT can’t count the number of ‘R’s in the word strawberry (if you’re confused, please go learn about LLMs). The second were responses to an essay by Paul Graham called Founder Mode.

Not My Take

I’m really not qualified to discuss whether Graham is right or wrong, but I did want to comment on my take of the crux of most of the arguments. Most of the hubub centers around one bit of founder advice. Graham’s essay - recalling a speech from Brian Chesky, recounts this advice for founders:

Their advice could be optimistically summarized as "hire good people and give them room to do their jobs." He followed this advice and the results were disastrous.

Then the internet went into a frenzy of whether to give employees autonomy or to micromanage them” them and I tuned out.

A Framework

I’ve never been a founder. I probably will never be a founder. But I know how to r…