Comments on: Ira Glass on killing your startup idea http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/ my thoughts on entrepreneurship, the web, and achieving the dream. Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tawheed http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/comment-page-1/#comment-90124 Tawheed Fri, 04 Jun 2010 01:56:06 +0000 http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/#comment-90124 <p>@Brian - thanks for the candid thoughts man. At this point, I have two options -- just stop, or keep aiming for achieving that 10% or 20% improvement.</p> <p>Let's definitely talk soon :)</p> @Brian – thanks for the candid thoughts man. At this point, I have two options — just stop, or keep aiming for achieving that 10% or 20% improvement.

Let’s definitely talk soon :)

]]> By: Brian Armstrong http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/comment-page-1/#comment-90113 Brian Armstrong Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:39:31 +0000 http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/#comment-90113 <p>Hey TK - I debated whether to post this cuz it might come across as negative, but as someone who wants to see you succeed I figure you'd appreciate the honesty: I don't think BrainTrust will take off. It's kind of disappointing actually because from using it (and as a fellow rails programmer) I can tell that you REALLY know what you are doing code wise and design wise. I'm being 100% sincere about that, you have serious talent dude. And I work with a bunch of top notch rails engineers.</p> <p>But the main reason I say that is it just doesn't have enough advantages over an incumbent like Google Groups or plain old email which accomplishes many of the same things. Yur platform is actually better, but I just don't think it's enough better to take down bigger players with major market share.</p> <p>I was watching this Mark Andreessen video today and he talks about how your solution has to be like a 10x improvement on existing solutions before people take notice - because they are lazy and comfortable with current solutions that basically get the job done. A 10% or 20% improvement just won't be enough in most cases. http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2459</p> <p>Also, I can't envision a business model for BrainTrust especially when Google Groups is free. So if it's unlikely to make money that makes it less appealing.</p> <p>Anyway, it's been a while since we talked - we should chat again maybe this weekend or something. Some of my sites need to killed too I think, so yur not alone and this post was helpful. You are on to some cool stuff so I say keep iterating with new ideas. Also, it's just one dudes opinion you barely know so feel free to ignore it :) But just wanted to put it out there.</p> <p>Best of luck, Brian</p> Hey TK – I debated whether to post this cuz it might come across as negative, but as someone who wants to see you succeed I figure you’d appreciate the honesty: I don’t think BrainTrust will take off. It’s kind of disappointing actually because from using it (and as a fellow rails programmer) I can tell that you REALLY know what you are doing code wise and design wise. I’m being 100% sincere about that, you have serious talent dude. And I work with a bunch of top notch rails engineers.

But the main reason I say that is it just doesn’t have enough advantages over an incumbent like Google Groups or plain old email which accomplishes many of the same things. Yur platform is actually better, but I just don’t think it’s enough better to take down bigger players with major market share.

I was watching this Mark Andreessen video today and he talks about how your solution has to be like a 10x improvement on existing solutions before people take notice – because they are lazy and comfortable with current solutions that basically get the job done. A 10% or 20% improvement just won’t be enough in most cases.
http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2459

Also, I can’t envision a business model for BrainTrust especially when Google Groups is free. So if it’s unlikely to make money that makes it less appealing.

Anyway, it’s been a while since we talked – we should chat again maybe this weekend or something. Some of my sites need to killed too I think, so yur not alone and this post was helpful. You are on to some cool stuff so I say keep iterating with new ideas. Also, it’s just one dudes opinion you barely know so feel free to ignore it :) But just wanted to put it out there.

Best of luck,
Brian

]]> By: Steve French http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/comment-page-1/#comment-90111 Steve French Mon, 31 May 2010 22:59:03 +0000 http://www.tawheedkader.com/2010/05/ira-glass-on-killing-your-startup-idea/#comment-90111 <p>I think you're onto something, I do think it needs more visuals though.</p> I think you’re onto something, I do think it needs more visuals though.

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