Is it just me or are startups, and being a founder of a startup, just about the coolest thing around these days? A few years back a funder suggested to me that there’s too much ‘starting up to get laid’ going on. I wasn’t exactly sure what he was referring to but I’m starting to clue in.

I realize I’ve said this before but let’s review, there’s nothing cool about starting up a new business. You read The E-Myth right? So you already know about “the fatal assumption that an individual who understands the technical work of a business can successfully run a business that does that technical work“?

Then I read recently about entrepreneurship profiteering? At first I was sucked in by that article. Yeah, those greedy meanies sucking all the money out of our great startups and causing them to fail. We need to stop them, let’s name names, let’s out these pirates!

Then I came to my senses. If we’re going to name names, let’s name these so-called “startups”. Let’s face it, the great ones, the one’s who will tear through any obstacle to succeed won’t be slowed down by crappy advice. They won’t suffer fools. The idea that an entrepreneur needs protection from these bandits is absurd. By entrepreneur, I’m referring to someone who’s actually created something from nothing, which a customer values. I’m not referring to…well everyone else.

Entrepreneurs aren’t spending money on design, development, hiring etc from people “who radiate false bravado” and “sound like a late night infomercial”, give me a break. They’re too busy doing it! They’re practitioners and craftsmen, they’re not wringing their hands about the bad advice that caused them to fail. They aren’t pointing fingers, whining or blaming. They’re accepting all responsibility and getting back at it. If “these wolves in sheep’s clothing” can bleed me dry, then shame on me!

I agree with the point of the article but I say bring on the profiteers! They’re doing us all a service by culling the ecosystem so the rest of us have a clearer path to our customer. It reminds me of downturns in the real estate market. My friends who are killing it in real estate get a twisted joy from these downturns as it chases out the pretenders and part-time agents who are phoning it in anyway.

If you’re considering starting up a new business, don’t! There’s no ribbon for participation here. Trust me, keep your dayjob, make your boss happy because she’s really not that bad. Spend your weekends explaining to your friends and family how you ‘thought of that one first’ and keep collecting your paycheque.

Why am I not trying to talk you into a startup? Why would I? When I’m not out buying coffee and toilet paper for ThreeFortyNine, I’m busy failing at creating new businesses. I have no interest in funneling you through the ThreeFortyNine turnstile so that I can claim you as a success story if you’re the one in a million that succeeds. I’d rather you keep your job so I have more room to create and more customers to win.

“that small, very small number of risk takers crazy enough to have ideas of their own, those endowed with that very rare ability called imagination, that rarer quality called courage, and who make things happen.“, Antifragile

You’re still reading? Ok, you should seriously stop by ThreeFortyNine immediately because you may be one of us! Oh and if you’re a software developer and you’re quitting your job tomorrow, you should consider applying to Startupify.Me. Careful, we may fleece you! Cripes this wolf skin is hot….