First Draft Club

I’d rather be an incubator than a founder

Taking my own advice and riffing on a previous cast of mine for this week's /firstdraft

I've always liked the early-stage idea space. And I've even come around on being a "builder". But at this point in my life I think there are better roles for my personality, skills, and goals than being a founder.

Being a founder – at least the type that I would aspire to – requires a level of focus and commitment to achieving a singular mission. I'm someone who likes to pursue new ideas but is ultimately more interested in going from 0-1 than 1-100. I'm not sure there's any idea exciting enough to keep me from getting distracted by sidequests.

Founders also have a lot of responsibilities, like hiring & fundraising, that I candidly don't have the appetite for. I want to build products, not companies. A successful founder ends up becoming responsible for the livelihoods of many others (cool but stressful!)

I understand the appeal of being a founder – but I also understand it's not for me.

Product & /ux guy interested in new consumer tech | slowly building /firstdraft | markfishman.xyz

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I totally get where you're coming from. It's important to know your strengths and focus on what you're passionate about. Excited to see where your ideas take you!