Paul Graham: Why to Not Not Start a Startup

Paul Graham has written a lot on start-ups recently. It is no surprise given his history as a successful internet entrepreneur and his more recent involvement with Y Combinator. His next installment is titled Why to Not Not Start a Startup.

Paul is on a crusade to convince young computer scientists and software engineers to start their own companies. The alternative is to go work for someone else, possibly in a cubicle farm. His basic argument is that students who have just completed their studies have little or no financial responsibility. They can therefore more easily afford to try to do their own thing before joining the rat race. There is off course many other pros and cons, so go read his work.

Young South Africans should be more entrepreneurial. Our country needs it badly. A major concern for entrepreneurs is still financing. We have less investors and those that are there are more risk averse and tougher on start-ups. One highlight is that the South African government is trying to promote start-ups and makes funding available. Lets hope it makes a difference.

I think if I read his work 6-8 years ago I would have been very tempted to go the start-up route. The question is actually what is stopping us, myself included, not to still do it?