Famous Solopreneurs Who Accomplished Nothing by Age 30(solounicornsclub.beehiiv.com)
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Famous Solopreneurs Who Accomplished Nothing by Age 30
https://solounicornsclub.beehiiv.com/p/5-famous-solopreneurs-who-accomplished-nothing-by-age-30
29 comments
I feel like no successful person would describe what they did before they became successful as "nothing"
I think Jack Dorsey would. The more we learn about him, the more he seems like a clueless idiot who got very lucky.
That doesn’t seem obvious to me. What have you learned that makes you say that?
- He was one of several co-founders of Twitter, so you can't credit him with much of that idea.
- He successfully raised money, but he was then fired because he was doing yoga and fashion stuff all the time instead of working.
- He returned to be CEO of Twitter and wasn't successful at it. Accounts from people working for him at the time described him as infuriatingly indecisive, naive, and easy to influence. He held tons of meetings about decisions instead of actually making them[1]. This was especially bad when Twitter was supposed to be deciding its stance on free speech during the 2020 election. He was eventually ousted after pressure by activist investors.
- He thought Elon Musk was the right person to run Twitter, which was obviously idiotic at the time[2] and has become (in hindsight) even more laughable. No "intelligent" businessperson has an excuse to be tricked into thinking Musk is smart, ethical, or good at running businesses.
- He falls for a lot of New Age, pseudo-science bullshit. Case in point: he endorsed RFK, Jr., a conspiracy nut, for president of the United States. That might be one of the dumbest thing he's publicly done. Tulsi Gabbard was another of his favorite candidates.
- He's a blockchain/Bitcoin enthusiast.
- His Twitter/X feed reads like a hippie stoner, not like a sharp observer of the world. I suspect he and Musk bonded over enjoying being high most of the time.
1. https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/17/17706256/twitter-alex-jon...
2. https://twitter.com/jack/status/1511329369473564677
- He successfully raised money, but he was then fired because he was doing yoga and fashion stuff all the time instead of working.
- He returned to be CEO of Twitter and wasn't successful at it. Accounts from people working for him at the time described him as infuriatingly indecisive, naive, and easy to influence. He held tons of meetings about decisions instead of actually making them[1]. This was especially bad when Twitter was supposed to be deciding its stance on free speech during the 2020 election. He was eventually ousted after pressure by activist investors.
- He thought Elon Musk was the right person to run Twitter, which was obviously idiotic at the time[2] and has become (in hindsight) even more laughable. No "intelligent" businessperson has an excuse to be tricked into thinking Musk is smart, ethical, or good at running businesses.
- He falls for a lot of New Age, pseudo-science bullshit. Case in point: he endorsed RFK, Jr., a conspiracy nut, for president of the United States. That might be one of the dumbest thing he's publicly done. Tulsi Gabbard was another of his favorite candidates.
- He's a blockchain/Bitcoin enthusiast.
- His Twitter/X feed reads like a hippie stoner, not like a sharp observer of the world. I suspect he and Musk bonded over enjoying being high most of the time.
1. https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/17/17706256/twitter-alex-jon...
2. https://twitter.com/jack/status/1511329369473564677
Look, I have used Twitter once - I made an account for fun in 2009, and then proceeded to be extremely bored by it. I don't really keep up with The Twitter/X Files either, which internet people seem obsessed with these days.
Honestly, every one of your points either sounds like gossip, or just a weak reason to consider someone "stupid".
- I wasn't aware that support of RFK and/or Tulsi Gabbard automatically made someone stupid.
- I wasn't aware that selecting the most successful businessman of all time as a CEO was an obviously terrible idea.
- There are a lot of dumb people in the whole crypto industry, but there are also a lot of not-dumb people.
- I haven't had Twitter since the decade before last, so I have no clue what Jack Dorsey says in 140 characters or less.
None of this was apparent to me, so I don't really know what to think. I just wasn't convinced by anything in your comment, unfortunately.
Honestly, every one of your points either sounds like gossip, or just a weak reason to consider someone "stupid".
- I wasn't aware that support of RFK and/or Tulsi Gabbard automatically made someone stupid.
- I wasn't aware that selecting the most successful businessman of all time as a CEO was an obviously terrible idea.
- There are a lot of dumb people in the whole crypto industry, but there are also a lot of not-dumb people.
- I haven't had Twitter since the decade before last, so I have no clue what Jack Dorsey says in 140 characters or less.
None of this was apparent to me, so I don't really know what to think. I just wasn't convinced by anything in your comment, unfortunately.
The "gossip" is all sourced in high quality journals. You don't seem like you're interested in actually answering this question. There are many articles and first-hand accounts of Dorsey's behavior at Twitter. It was something of a source of fascination for most of the business world, and many profiles (including ones that Dorsey participated in himself) have said the same thing.
> I wasn't aware that support of RFK and/or Tulsi Gabbard automatically made someone stupid.
You don't think believing easily-disproven conspiracy theories makes someone stupid?
> There are a lot of dumb people in the whole crypto industry, but there are also a lot of not-dumb people.
The not-dumb people aren't true believers. They're taking advantage of the people who are dumb. Dorsey is a true believer.
> I just wasn't convinced by anything in your comment, unfortunately.
Like I said, it doesn't seem like you're interested in actually finding an answer here, and I wish I hadn't wasted my time answering what seemed like a sincere question.
> I wasn't aware that support of RFK and/or Tulsi Gabbard automatically made someone stupid.
You don't think believing easily-disproven conspiracy theories makes someone stupid?
> There are a lot of dumb people in the whole crypto industry, but there are also a lot of not-dumb people.
The not-dumb people aren't true believers. They're taking advantage of the people who are dumb. Dorsey is a true believer.
> I just wasn't convinced by anything in your comment, unfortunately.
Like I said, it doesn't seem like you're interested in actually finding an answer here, and I wish I hadn't wasted my time answering what seemed like a sincere question.
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> I feel like no successful person would describe what they did before they became successful as "nothing"
My favorite life motto that I stole from who knows where: Do things that, if they succeed, make the rest of your life/career look like a footnote.
My favorite life motto that I stole from who knows where: Do things that, if they succeed, make the rest of your life/career look like a footnote.
Sam Altman:
"But I always want it to be a project that, if successful, will make the rest of my career look like a footnote."
Sam Altman
These are not solopreneurs. They’re entrepreneurs.
Furthermore, there's no such thing as a solopreneurs. Everything you have now, everything you will ever build or do or touch is done with the combined labor of millions of humans. Thinking that somehow you are going it solo denies reality.
I wonder if there are any recent examples.
Good point - I'll research and create a more recent list.
There are plenty of people who work until they’re able to take a risk without destroying their family’s well being.
We don’t hear about the failures because it’s a tragedy. But I’ve worked with a lot of failed entrepreneurs in their 40s. It’s clear they aren’t happy in their jobs but also have no choice now.
We don’t hear about the failures because it’s a tragedy. But I’ve worked with a lot of failed entrepreneurs in their 40s. It’s clear they aren’t happy in their jobs but also have no choice now.
This feels like the usual "overnight success, 30 years in the making" kind of stuff.
> Wang was a figure skater and journalist before entering the fashion industry.
“Accomplished nothing”
“Accomplished nothing”
In the same vein:
"Before becoming the founder of Walmart, Sam Walton owned a small chain of variety stores"
"Before becoming the founder of Walmart, Sam Walton owned a small chain of variety stores"
Pfft, who hasn't at some point? ;p
Fair point although entering a new industry often requires starting completely from scratch.
Their achievements don't just come out of nowhere one day. They spent much of their earlier lives compounding their skills, even if that meant failure.
Definitely. These solopreneurs all kept trying after failing and I wanted to share a bit of their story!
>Sanders started franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) at the age of 62, using his first Social Security check to fund the business.
That seems like not much funding! Looking at Wikipedia:
>Sanders believed that his North Corbin restaurant would remain successful indefinitely; however, he sold it at age 65 after the new Interstate 75 reduced customer traffic.[29][30][5] Left only with his savings and US$105 a month from Social Security (equivalent to $1,147 in 2022),[5] Sanders decided to begin to franchise his chicken concept in earnest, and traveled the US looking for suitable restaurants. After closing the North Corbin site, Sanders and Claudia opened a new restaurant and company headquarters in Shelbyville in 1959.[31] Often sleeping in the back of his car, Sanders visited restaurants, offered to cook his chicken, and if workers liked it negotiated franchise rights.[5]
I don't think anyone could fund a business on $1,147 a month. Then again Wikipedia talks about unspecified savings. Those should be substantial after selling a restaurant?
That seems like not much funding! Looking at Wikipedia:
>Sanders believed that his North Corbin restaurant would remain successful indefinitely; however, he sold it at age 65 after the new Interstate 75 reduced customer traffic.[29][30][5] Left only with his savings and US$105 a month from Social Security (equivalent to $1,147 in 2022),[5] Sanders decided to begin to franchise his chicken concept in earnest, and traveled the US looking for suitable restaurants. After closing the North Corbin site, Sanders and Claudia opened a new restaurant and company headquarters in Shelbyville in 1959.[31] Often sleeping in the back of his car, Sanders visited restaurants, offered to cook his chicken, and if workers liked it negotiated franchise rights.[5]
I don't think anyone could fund a business on $1,147 a month. Then again Wikipedia talks about unspecified savings. Those should be substantial after selling a restaurant?
I think the cost of doing business has increased substantially in the last 60 years. Even respecting inflation, I think services, wages, and just the obligations related to business are more expensive than they used to be.
I would add: disproportionately so in higher bureaucracy higher tax environments.
Your money just goes a lot less further as a business owner and as a result it’s harder to have a small business, such an environment heavily favors large corporations that have the funds and man hours to throw at the problem and come out on top.
Your money just goes a lot less further as a business owner and as a result it’s harder to have a small business, such an environment heavily favors large corporations that have the funds and man hours to throw at the problem and come out on top.
As useless trivia-- one of Sanders' relatives founded Lee's Famous Recipe once Sanders essentially exited KFC. Subjectively, it is better than modern day KFC.
The Corbin KFC/museum draws tons of tourists-- especially from China (I think they have more locations there than in the US.) If anyone happens to go there, Corbin also has a pretty good pinball arcade with ~60 tables and a redemption game section.
The Corbin KFC/museum draws tons of tourists-- especially from China (I think they have more locations there than in the US.) If anyone happens to go there, Corbin also has a pretty good pinball arcade with ~60 tables and a redemption game section.
Sam Walten owning numerous supermarkets was "nothing"?
yeah this is not a very good list. if you read "Made in America" (1992) it's clear that the eventual "founding" of Walmart was just a continuation in Sam's entrepreneurial journey that had been steadily gaining momentum for years already with his store management and precursor efforts