The very first post: https://mrsteinberg.com/when-to-be-minimalist/
At the time I started this blog and am writing this sentence, I am a failure.
Not just a failure but an utter failure. At least 3 times in a row with no signs of success at the age of 28 with $90,000 in debt.
I started this blog for the following reasons:
- To be seen a business thought leader
- To interact with people I am fascinated by
- To promote my own silly ideas at the same time as I am making them
- To provide myself a singular goal and outlet for my creativity
- To be taken seriously and further my career and feel useful
I thought my target audience would be “Startup people and people in tech” and that ended up being true.
This was my original template for a blog which I completely abandoned within a few months
Template:
- Start with an interesting piece of startups no one has looked into
- End on something to strive for, if you are making fun of something, end on what is good
who is doing it right- Provide sources from network, professors, industry experts
- Make sure you have an educational POV behind anything silly
Style:
- Straight forwardly educational and appeal to an audience with a longer attention span
- Needs to come from a place of actual authority as an entrepreneur and professional
- Must be a unique and valid point, it wont work even if it is funny
Process:
- Get feedback from people in that industry or experts in that topic if your thesis makes sense
- You’ll have to get information from neutral parties, or on the good side of your thesis
- If you make fun of people they won’t want to be interviewed in the future, do these in-between or with startup ideas
Remember:
- This shouuld be for those really really in tech (another startup founder should be able to enjoy)
- Can you make 80+ posts in this type of theme and would you want to?
- Remember post lasts forever
- Take the time and care to make sure its the best thing you could ever produce
Now I am finishing this post this 7 years in the future.
My metrics were unique users, I got a little under 50,000.
I am 35 and my net worth is above 0. I have made over a million dollars from various startups but have kept very little. I have spent and invested a fair amount of that into a large variety things like investing in other startups, getting an apartment in Manhattan, and getting tons of equipment to make more interesting things (film equipment, 3d printers, etc).
A few major lessons stand out:
The hardest thing was not succeeding in any particular venture but deciding which thing I could focus on every day for years. This is still a major problem. Avoid any goals where a small number of gatekeepers can prevent you from getting it. (Ex: I want to be an actor but can make my own youtube videos vs trying to be cast on a specific show).
My initial question about the odds of being successful seem make as much sense as asking about the odds of getting a black belt in martial arts or a six pack. It’s almost entirely a question of focus.
Startups (and maybe all careers) are a series of slow games. You can try as many times as you want.
When in doubt or unsure follow the money, money is surprisingly efficient and will lead you towards interesting things.
The biggest career problems with other people I have seen has been much more internal than external. Mental illness, being mean, getting insecure and anxious. I would do it but X… There is always an X preventing anyone from doing anything if they look hard enough. Smart enough, time, etc.
90% of anything is just sticking around awhile. People’s trust, brand, sales, figuring out careers.
Why I am stopping
The age of the blog is pretty much over and might have been over even when I started. My reach of a similar post on reddit, twitter, tiktok, youtube, instagram, and other platforms completely dwarfs this with higher engagement, retention and less effort by over 40x.
I no longer have the burning urge to say and post things. It has transformed into other outlets like holding in real life events.