Future Value

Working on interesting problems entails working on something that has most of its value locked in the future. Less interesting problems (jobs) means that the value has been unlocked and you are getting the maximum bang for your work. Most up and coming businesses have their value locked in the future.  For example a company… Continue reading Future Value

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Playing At The Edge

Few people realise that most medicinal breakthroughs were the result of complete luck and serendipity. Only about two HIV medications are the result of huge financial investments and research. Everything else, from antibiotics to chemotherapy treatments are a result of luck. After we discovered these drugs, we then figured out the science behind the medications… Continue reading Playing At The Edge

It’s Neither Either Nor Or

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. It never ceases to amaze me how few people are genuinely intellectually curious about ideas. This becomes painfully obvious when you discuss startup ideas with people.  Most people don't like ideas, particularly of the new variety.  So they instinctively go through a list of… Continue reading It’s Neither Either Nor Or

How To Get Great Startup Ideas

Entrepreneurs solve problems. They create a solution which people give them money for. People who haven't started a business before often look for problems to solve. A lot of the time these people can't seem to find that elusive perfect problem to solve. If you're in this situation, then stop looking! Instead become a more… Continue reading How To Get Great Startup Ideas

We’re All Biased

You can consider optimism and pessimism as two different types of biases. "Optimists" supposedly see the world in a way where things are better than they actually are. "Pessimists" supposedly see the world in a way where things are worse than they actually are. "Realists" are meant to be the people who see the world… Continue reading We’re All Biased

Time As Arbitrage

Be very weary of anything which will reduce the time you have to accomplish something. Time is undervalued and underappreciated.   Sometimes it's tempting to do something which will give you a short term gain, but that will reduce the time you have to accomplish X,Y and Z. For example if you take anabolic steroids, it may… Continue reading Time As Arbitrage

Always Aim To Beat The Competition Without Competing

Imagine you're trying to compete with Coca-Cola by creating a new soft drink. A room full of business types would probably get together and say that you need to develop a drink that you can drink a lot of, tastes better and is cheaper. But funnily enough Red Bull came along and made tiny cans,… Continue reading Always Aim To Beat The Competition Without Competing