a day ago
- Bootstrapping a business is compared to a slow, steady space elevator, while venture-backed startups are like explosive rocket ships.
- The elevator is cheaper and less risky, but slower; rockets are faster but have a higher risk of failure, including exploding.
- Rocket launches attract crowds and attention, but they quickly move on to the next spectacle, while elevator riders can keep their loved ones close.
- Elevator riders make small bets and accumulate wins over time, whereas rocketeers bet everything on a single outcome.
- Sometimes rockets succeed or fail dramatically, reinforcing the elevator rider's choice to stay on the steady path.
- Progress on the elevator is slow but compounds over years, and the rider must avoid burning all their fuel (resources) to eventually reach their destination.