Thanks for reading and commenting. Even the negative stuff is appreciated. I thought I'd leave you a quick response.
First, I'm thrilled that you thought to do a brief background check, and found me. I can offer some explanation to some of the conclusions you've drawn based on the article and otherwise.
The most important note that I think gets lost in translation: In its original form (appearing in Harvard Business School's newspaper), the piece is a satire. Specifically, it's a response to a series of events that painted a particularly gushy and fuzzy picture of entrepreneurship. As many of you were quick to point out the holes in an article that was blatantly and exclusively negative, I had merely been acting likewise to the opposite prompt. Also, lamentably, much of the piece's humor had to be edited out for the broader internet audience (unless you suspect you'd appreciate quips about the eccentricities of HBS's staff & curriculum). In the given context, and even in the broader context, much of your criticism is certainly valid.
endtwist- I think "trolling" is a bit harsh, but yes, the goal is to provoke a discussion. Mission accomplished? I'm happy to hear that some mutual friend has vouched for me. And yes, given a broader scope and bigger word count, the art of delegating would certainly have been investigated at length.
jpdoctor- I understand your point. No, I've never worked in a union shop (sorry!). My argument was that, in some strange, perverse way, having such a burden lifted (as in your union shop illustration) is a nicety compared to the stresses of ultimate responsibility. But again, I can see why this might not be the case.
bdrocco- Yep. You're right.
MJR, brownie- Yep, you found me. Sorry about the typo- publishing the article on RWW was done through a third party. Though I can't claim to be a venerable authority with decades of experience, I hope my credentials (and brief explanation above) can add a little more worth to the piece.
tluyben2- I don't think I failed as an entrepreneur. And I most definitely tried. (I suppose the edited version of the article's second doesn't really make this clear, but I did continue to work full time after graduating from undergrad.) Without a doubt you make more money, have more free time, etc. etc. than I do - do bear in mind that I'm currently a student. That all said: much like you, I was in love with what I did, and look forward to re-entering the entrepreneurship field some day in the future. Thanks for commenting.
GFisher- Sorry for baiting you. But yeah, you're absolutely right.
rdl, chr15- technically I wasn't a 2+2, though most of the structure is accurate. As for "accomplishing nothing," I suppose it depends on your definition of accomplishment. And again, the article doesn't totally make it clear that I ran my company full-time, expanded operations cross-country, and exited via sale in the two years between now and my time in undergrad. Not your typical consulting background, but I think HBS likes to bring in a few strange people for diversity.
Thanks for reading and commenting. Even the negative stuff is appreciated. I thought I'd leave you a quick response.
First, I'm thrilled that you thought to do a brief background check, and found me. I can offer some explanation to some of the conclusions you've drawn based on the article and otherwise.
The most important note that I think gets lost in translation: In its original form (appearing in Harvard Business School's newspaper), the piece is a satire. Specifically, it's a response to a series of events that painted a particularly gushy and fuzzy picture of entrepreneurship. As many of you were quick to point out the holes in an article that was blatantly and exclusively negative, I had merely been acting likewise to the opposite prompt. Also, lamentably, much of the piece's humor had to be edited out for the broader internet audience (unless you suspect you'd appreciate quips about the eccentricities of HBS's staff & curriculum). In the given context, and even in the broader context, much of your criticism is certainly valid.
endtwist- I think "trolling" is a bit harsh, but yes, the goal is to provoke a discussion. Mission accomplished? I'm happy to hear that some mutual friend has vouched for me. And yes, given a broader scope and bigger word count, the art of delegating would certainly have been investigated at length.
jpdoctor- I understand your point. No, I've never worked in a union shop (sorry!). My argument was that, in some strange, perverse way, having such a burden lifted (as in your union shop illustration) is a nicety compared to the stresses of ultimate responsibility. But again, I can see why this might not be the case.
bdrocco- Yep. You're right.
MJR, brownie- Yep, you found me. Sorry about the typo- publishing the article on RWW was done through a third party. Though I can't claim to be a venerable authority with decades of experience, I hope my credentials (and brief explanation above) can add a little more worth to the piece.
tluyben2- I don't think I failed as an entrepreneur. And I most definitely tried. (I suppose the edited version of the article's second doesn't really make this clear, but I did continue to work full time after graduating from undergrad.) Without a doubt you make more money, have more free time, etc. etc. than I do - do bear in mind that I'm currently a student. That all said: much like you, I was in love with what I did, and look forward to re-entering the entrepreneurship field some day in the future. Thanks for commenting.
GFisher- Sorry for baiting you. But yeah, you're absolutely right.
rdl, chr15- technically I wasn't a 2+2, though most of the structure is accurate. As for "accomplishing nothing," I suppose it depends on your definition of accomplishment. And again, the article doesn't totally make it clear that I ran my company full-time, expanded operations cross-country, and exited via sale in the two years between now and my time in undergrad. Not your typical consulting background, but I think HBS likes to bring in a few strange people for diversity.
bodegajed- I'm with you 100%.
moocow01- I'm with you 115%.
Everyone else- thanks, too.
Cheers.