I used to think Guy Kawasaki was smart
Based on some stuff he’s written.
But huh?
Guess not.
As an entrepeneur, he doesn’t get it.
As an investor, I’m not convinced he gets it. I actually don’t base any investments on how much it would cost to build a pile. Beyond one’s faith that the people doing it can do it, it’s about the size of the market, revenue and the return on investment.
17 Responses
I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking that…
Yeah, I thought that was an odd post too.
I mean, I totally understand the desire to just go build something without overthinking it, or maybe just to prove you can… but throwing darts at a board isn’t really a business strategy….
I also meant to add that it’s a dumb idea in the first place.
Random Internet users voting on “rumors” that they have no way of verifying? Doesn’t make any sense!
Was Guy Kawasaki ever a successful entrepreneur before hitting the shelves with Rich Dad, Poor Dad? The book explains a sound money philosphy but the writer´s persona bears no resemblence to the real person Guy Kawasaki.
A simple web search on Kawasaki gives enough to support that he was never rich before Rich Dad.
A simple web search on Kawasaki gives enough to support that he never wrote Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
@Mats
I think you have Kiyosaki and Kawasaki mixed up.
Regarding Truemors: It seems like he had more fun making the blog post than making Truemors. The “clever” name sounds too much like tumors, which doesn’t conjure good feelings. Plus, the site is slow, like his blog.
Robert Kiyosaki isn’t Guy Kawasaki.
.. At least read his about page:
http://www.guykawasaki.com/about/index.shtml
Read uncov.com
It’s a shame, because The Art of the Start, which does have Guy’s name on the cover, is a great book.
Anyone who uses that snapshot plugin isn’t smart. QED.
I had great respect for Guy, how can someone, who sees potent Web 2.0 business plans everyday start such a stupid project.
The little cost of starting that business says nothing about its potential profitability (one way or the other). However stupid the idea sounds, if Guy Kawasaki manages to pull it off and make money, then what are the grounds for criticism?
It’s near impossible to post on this topic here, I always get an error due to mod_security or whatever else it is.
Can’t use any of the words I’d prefer to use.
to my simple mind.. . twitter and truemors are in the same boat. leaky.
@Brian
You´re completely right. I did mix´em up. Thank you.
While I agree with the majority of the comments here, I am left with a question: What if it is simply to turn profit?
Certainly I am not a fan of the “truemors” idea – I liken it to the crap on TV (e.g. American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Big Brother, Age of Love, Apprentice, Flavor of Love), it’s simply cheap unintelligent entertainment – but that is what a major portion of the internet users love. You don’t have to go very far to see Reddit, Digg, Perez Hilton are popular sites for the same reason. And when you give the power to the people – all people participate – not just the smart ones.
As someone who is developing a community site I can see the attraction of building something that will have mass market appeal. And Guy has a knack for that. If it is simply a move to make money, and I believe it is, he is rather crafty. But you won’t be able to keep the village idiots out. And those people are the ones who create the bad connotation for the community.
I think many of you are missing Guy’s point here.
His point is contrasting that now it takes thousands of dollars (or less for our next launch) to test an idea, instead of the tens of millions it took during the last bubble.
My dot-bomb experience (whatshotnow.com) went through all the typical excesses of the period, which makes me shudder compared to the lean launch we are gearing up for now.
@tim
> “I think many of you are missing Guy’s point here.”
The point is that this exactly topic is nothing new and has been discussed in GREAT DEPTH for the past two years (at least, if not more).
Guy’s blog post makes it sound like it’s some revolutionary idea, and that no one else has done it before.
Nearly EVERY web 2.0 has used this exact bootstrap model.
The epiphany that Guy is having is not that it’s something new, it just that its taken him this long to “getting it”.