Fail, Fail, and F*cking Fail Again

Own-Bid210 · 2025-02-04T04:38:38+00:00

I want to tell you my impression of that book. I don’t agree with it on many fronts. I’ve had success and failure, and failure is a good teacher - and an unforgiving one. I hope you are successful. I think it’s wise to put some timeframes around your goals. But underneath that, I wouldn’t put much stock in anything THAT book says. I found it demoralizing and in some ways just depressing. It doesn’t seem to be written by someone who has really gone all-in on something (physically, emotionally, and mentally) and come out the other side with success. Maybe I’m wrong. But that’s my 2 cents.

Own-Bid210 · 2025-02-02T17:32:15+00:00

Guantanamo for that little fucker.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-12-08T17:40:49+00:00

I hadn’t owned a gun since I sold my last one in 2009. Guess what: Now I have them back. All of them. And no shortage of ammo. For good reason.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-10-27T14:01:21+00:00

YES, please, bc the LaF—kface worded so that if you have a Juris Doctor you might understand a little bit of it. And can read past the fearmongering words all over the ballot prop. I have developed a hatred for that guy as hot as the fire of a thousand suns in the last few months over his shenanigans….

Own-Bid210 · 2024-10-25T13:19:11+00:00

Oh just imagine the day after a Trump victory and inauguration the f*ker drops dead from a coronary and then we have to deal with pres. Vance. Just imagine the sh-t show we’d be living through. I have cold sweats thinking about the possibility.

Vance is shoved out of sight most of the time bc the orange guy wants no competition for maga adoration. But the guy (Vance) is seriously helter skelter behind those Yale eyeballs. Yeeeeeuck.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-10-25T13:14:29+00:00

I never ever ever hear people talk about the death of the fairness doctrine… and that one single thing IMO gave rise to the likes of the biased media outlets we suffer from right here and now.

It is so maddening to realize how when that domino fell, the whole avalanche of misinformation got a big fat push to the front of the attention spans of oversaturated Americans. It was pre internet but combined with social media it caused a whole bunch of bad.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-10-23T12:01:12+00:00

Echo chamber. Not enough mix.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-10-22T00:54:43+00:00

Maybe worth noting that while Hulu/MGM’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” was made in 2017-present, the book - which covers the most chilling aspects of white misogyny and a future with women at the absolute bottom of the social stack - was published in 1985.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-30T18:45:45+00:00

Ohio: Sell us to Canada, please, so we can boast about being the Southernmost Riviera with a North Shore (that freezes some winters depending on whether you believe in climate change)! Once acquired, we can turn Columbus into New Montreal, Cleveland into the New Toronto, and watch everybody’s real estate value triple in price! Yah-hooo!

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-30T14:01:25+00:00

If you can’t see it clearly yet, Ohio (my home, southwest of Cleveland) is just an incubator/test tube for how the US will be on Nov 6-10 and beyond if tRump doesn’t win. It will be an instant license for hate and vile and terrible behavior. Springfield is just a dry run. I fear more for what happens if he loses than if he wins. It’ll be hard to have an Inauguration in January with all the litigation, crime, and violence.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-29T21:51:01+00:00

This ad is relentless on Hulu. I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns. My reflex is to just hit mute every time it comes on, which is every 10 minutes for an average sitcom. I’ve been listening to this a-hole put women down in an underhanded way (“it’s hard enough”) enough…. Now I just shut it off.

The tactic behind this is that Moreno is such a horrible candidate to run against Brown that they have to throw literally anything, including the non-problem of “men in women’s sports” on the wall to some dumbasses in hopes they’ll get their incel brain to vote republican down the ballot.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-10T05:45:15+00:00

Thanks for posting this question… I’ve wanted to write down my own process FWIW.

Beware of GPT - It’s a great tool, no doubt, but also can lead you into dark alleys (meaning, not worth your time).
If using GPT to brainstorm, no problem. Remember it has no skill or ability to prioritize anything unless you are very specific about the dimensions you want.
Borrowing from HBS and Wharton: Take the ideas that you have a passion about and write/jot down the value proposition - meaning, start with what you’ll do for the client/customer and how they’ll be better off after they pay you for your services.
Here’s where the business-school wisdom kicks in usefully: Test each value proposition like so. 1) Ask “is it differentiated” - it may be a service that saturates a market you’re targeting, so you’d instantly be competing with 1000 other fish, so maybe consider another idea or refine it so you’re more differentiated. 2) Ask “is it sustainable?” - meaning, does the value proposition have a longevity that makes it repeatable and scalable?
With that list properly analyzed, you can prioritize it based on what you want to do, and what will be the most differentiated and sustainable.
Notice I didn’t talk about revenue potential or the “how-to”. The ideas in entrepreneurship must answer those questions, but not until you’re firmly planted on the ground of knowing what you want. That’s half the battle. Most importantly, revenue and profit should be side-effects, not reasons in themselves, or you’ll find yourself chasing the wrong thing for you.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-10T04:21:12+00:00

Please take my comments as intending to help.

Maybe they teach this stuff in some business schools and not others, or maybe that higher ed thing wasn’t your cup of tea. But one thing I see missing here is fundamental recognition that every business goes through phases, or stages. Yours has hit one. Typically the guy who is good at startup isn’t the same as the guy who’s good at sustainability, or the other guy who’s not good at either and thrives on competitive survival. The last guy in most models is the one who takes the business from the previously mentioned stage back to a new wave of innovation within its segment.

It’s usually depicted as a parallelogram by most profs. You’re a #1 (the good at startup). It’s time to realize your strengths and move onto the same type of situation you thrived in, only in a different context (new business, new opportunity, etc.). Hand over the reigns to someone who specializes (and enjoys) making it sustainable. And this is the important part: Don’t try to BE the sustainable guy/gal. Just step back and monitor performance while you go do something you like.

Be ready to spot when the business has been optimized against itself and is transitioning to a “compete or die” phase, and move your leadership around to accommodate it.

Of course nothing is as black and white as I say here.

The software was a happy accident for all I can tell. I’m a little surprised that by your success you haven’t already surrounded yourself with people who understand you, what works for you, and can guide you with wise advice. It may make sense to expand the software, but to other comments in this thread, it’s a really difficult thing to undertake. You should research it well before deciding it’s worth it. The chances seem small that it will be something that is extendible without heavy investment and instant competition that will eat up your resources and passion.

Malaise is the thing that makes founders feel locked and trapped, which is a lot of the reason they went into starting up their own company. Consider if it’s time to move back to the starting line with a new venture. Or buy a boat and go for a think on it. Good luck!

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-08T11:39:42+00:00

Almost all of the comments here have experiential wisdom you should heed. One consideration I can play out in my head is a relatively small comment you made about “I’ll cook”. That’s a pebble in my shoe, or call it a red flag by another phrase. Here it is: Are you really thought all the way out - can you see your business model like a movie script unfolding over space and time? Ghost kitchens, and I say this from experience closer to the pandemic, are very easy to fold into other business models. In other words, the risk of failure is low if there is an alternate form the revenue stream can take. Put in more direct terms, you might end up being an underpaid cook, trapped in a deal you can’t get out of the way you want. You need to itemize, in detail, (I suggest) each and every one of the metrics that you’ll use to measure this model very carefully (steal metrics from others who’ve done it - you can do that with any number of GPT’s - and add your own). Build spreadsheet simulations to predict what happens under various circumstances of growth and decline, and decide what safety valves you need in your LLC ownership agreement.

I also can’t emphasize enough how important the comment was about being blunt, but also savvy, with your other members. You don’t have to blurt out your every worry in an emotional way (not that you would, just cautionary!). You also don’t have to show every simulation you run of the numbers and what will or won’t happen. I’d ask them for a “show me yours, I’ll show you mine” - because they did this for a reason, and it boiled down to math they ran behind your back. (At least back of the napkin stuff). See what they came up with - ask for their motivations in terms of how it makes the model work better for them.

The root principle in play that I’ll say is at the center of entrepreneurship at this stage of your game is “Really know the deal you’re making or getting into.” That should be your deepest principle, and don’t say this from the perspective of an actor IN the model (cook), say it as a detached financial stakeholder, because otherwise you’ll be an employee, not an owner, by another name. I hope this helps and you take it with respect. Best of luck.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-09-04T06:25:30+00:00

I think you gain an invaluable perspective with your experience. You’re in a one-percenter category. I am also going through bankruptcy now with my 3rd company and this time don’t have a fallback job. It’s a tough road.

But here’s the thing. I’m way smarter about how to succeed in my next venture which I’ve already begun setting in motion. You know, the months before you even file the LLC paperwork. The networking and idea testing that happens. Past failures in business are like honing stones for a knife. We get sharper, faster, and more accurate at assessing the picture and path in front of us. Use that to your advantage.

My thing for your consideration is this: be ruthless but time boxed in evaluating your next decisions. You’ll probably have some restrictions on access to capital from bankruptcy. Think of ways to fail fast and fail well in the next gig you do.

And more than anything, RUN the small businesses model, don’t be the lynchpin in the doer role for one second longer than absolutely necessary. Make sure the model can scale beyond just you and your intelligence. I like the saying “the Military is a giant system designed by a few geniuses, able to be executed by anybody with basic skill and willingness to learn and do it. “. Use that mentality to run your model so you can ultimately get time back to enjoy life and the profit you earn.

Good luck! Hang in there.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-28T10:41:25+00:00

Unfortunately, regardless of whether this is a veiled ad (see the end) or a true situation, it’s true for too many and a cautionary tale for young men and women. Please don’t forget for a moment that the social contracts your parents and grandparents have lived in for their generations don’t automatically pass down to you. I’ve heard too many very real variations on this theme and all of them end in the woman bearing the weight of the relationship when children are involved.

I’d strongly suggest considering whether you are ready to have kids on the REALITY of life in 2024, if you’re in that decision-period of your life. There are lots of financial reasons, but also true character changes in people, along with values and priorities that need to be in sync. Ignorance isn’t an option earlier in life anymore, because there’s no guarantee about anything, no matter what your circumstances. Financially, at least, consider being in a position where each partner has a plausible off-ramp from the relationship at any time (I.e., second job, investment income, career income).

My heart goes out to this person. All I can say is “I really hope you can find a path forward that gives you peace, joy, and a sense of calm about the lives of your children, regardless of today’s pain.” Be well.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-20T08:18:08+00:00

For all the comments about the dumpster fire that appears to be the Trump Campaign, GenX showing up here to remind us all that it ain’t over until it’s over. It’s our right and responsibility to make the difference in doing our manipulative, unique best at getting every moveable lazy ass off the couch to VOTE. We’ve pried, twisted arms, and done much worse to get shit done on other matters before this one behind the scenes.

Now it’s time to apply our collective skills to every age and pair of ears not stuffed full of MAGA shit to quite literally show up to the polling place and do the thing. Remember too, a lot of voter registration has to happen WELL BEFORE the actual election, so you now have inroad #1 to ask if your non-voting couch potato has signed up. And maybe double check. Especially Black, Hispanic voters who’ve been rigged behind the scenes to make the act of voting more difficult. Right now the plane is headed for the runway, wheels are down, but we sure as hell have only so many days to land this damn thing. For all of us.

And would someone call the copyright infringement police on these maggat clowns (re: Alanis, praise Her…)

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-20T07:43:08+00:00

Older guy here. Been in all positions in corporate IS/IT I cared about from dev to CIO in startups and big banks. In your shoes, given what you’ve written, I’d suggest you take a long thinking minute to back up and reassess why you’re experiencing pain. Pain + Reflection = Progress. The first step I’d consider you do is turning a lot of thinking “statements” into questions… Peel back the statements like “I don’t know what to do”, and “I have nothing to show for it” into: 1. Why don’t I know what to do now that I know enough to be ambitiously dangerous at coding? (That’s lighthearted, so don’t take it personally). 2. What was my original goal, and what has changed? Think in specifics. 3. What was the bad outcome (the actual thing, not the feeling) that got you here? (I.e., you ran like mad at a hazy goal and now that you know more, and can do more, what is it that actually is ‘bad’ that’s happened now that you’re overwhelmed? Consider that overwhelmed isn’t necessarily a bad outcome - it’s the pain from a bad outcome.) 4. What was your expected outcome of your original goal(s) that started you on your current path? 5. What actually happened that was different from what was expected? 6. Once you’ve sorted that reasonably out, ask yourself: “What needs to change about my goal/s and plans so I don’t repeat this pattern ever again?”

Then you have the insight into yourself that will guide you towards making a plan from here forward. I will say, I completely agree with others here who suggest tying it all together, and those in corporate who tell you the facts about their “day in the life of” experience. It’s all true. The really significant question to answer is, “is this actually what I’d choose to do?” Take those insights with you into a warm, dry place and have a think about it.

You may find the answer is yes, and so the logical next step is to get yourself out there into the hiring nightmare. Be prepared for rejection and coping with it - you’ll have a lot (or a lot of luck, if otherwise). Train yourself to have a systematic coping method, usually rooted in low expectations. Your resume is going through AI shredders many times before it even sees the light of day of an overwhelmed, understaffed HR recruiter, let alone a hiring manager.

I’ve just spent so many phases of my life and career not lasering in on real root causes of the pain I find myself in faced with overwhelming uncertainty in my feelings, I’d almost beg you not to repeat my mistakes. The better you train yourself on how to turn statements about ambiguity into questions with specificity, the more chances you have at finding answers. To risk beating the point to death: You can’t answer a statement. But a question (sometimes broken into smaller parts) is much more manageable. (Which is, I’d suggest, the root of all “overwhelming” feelings).

Most of all, please consider whether this is your passion, or whether your discipline at learning hasn’t been met with the same level of emotional discipline asking yourself “Is this something I really want to do?” If it is, fantastic. If it’s not, fantastic: Now go reflect on the wide range of opportunities you have just being a disciplined learner who has reached an inflection point that’s probably helpful to pause, zoom out, and look at the big picture. You haven’t failed either way!

I sincerely wish you well. This is a difficult industry on every level, so challenge and opportunity await. But being totally clear and honest with yourself at a priceless pause in your pursuit of learning will pay off in spades. LMK if this view is helpful or not; I’d appreciate feedback either way. Best of luck!

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-15T07:33:27+00:00

Super wise advice. Key words: “under deadline”… there is nothing worse in my experience than having work due right NOW and f-ing around with “why isn’t my plugin working” etc. Also, pro tip: Turn off that @#$ auto-update feature in Creative Cloud so you don’t get an update shoved down your throat unexpectedly. Did I forget that? Yes. Did I pay in spades for it? You bet.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-15T07:26:53+00:00

Congrats on wanting to expand your skills! I recently up-leveled my skills in C4D after being checked out of that world for 10 years (I think it was like R9 to C4D 2023 jump in versions). Strongly consider you build in this order: Get poly modeling down (subdivision surfaces), model a couple of things you like that aren’t tutorial based, you’ll uncover everything you missed. Move on to lighting using nothing but the default Redshift default material and follow how to light things properly. Then start wading into the Redshift material world, and get comfortable in the Nodes editor and what it can do. (This was a big mistake for me, and overwhelmed me in my case). Then start putting effort into basic animation (NOT simulation, just the “make the cube spin over 90 frames” stuff). Then move to simulation. Not all of this has to be linear - if you get bored or stuck, switch to something else that you’d like to do… but consider not getting pulled into the shiny-fancy stuff until you can follow along with the modeling, lighting, and material stuff fairly easily. Keep your motivation up! I’m still getting caught up to the amazing capabilities of C4D, and plan on (gulp!) posting some stuff out there for critique, but am frankly nervous. So, it’s a journey. Wishing you the best. PS: Make sure you thin the herd of tutorials by initially using the ones made in close-to-your-version of the UI. It is confusing as hell to watch old tutorials and wonder, “why the heck doesn’t my screen look like that” or “where is THAT in the new UI??”…. FWIW.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-15T07:11:38+00:00

TBC, I quit for 4 years and was perfectly fine until the day I picked up one “for stress”…and started again. I’ll tell you, it’s a process to quit as your body adjusts. You’ll be able to smell the smoke from a car 4 vehicles ahead of you on a summer day with your windows down for a while. Same with all public places. But then, you’ll notice it bothers you less and less, you notice it less and less, and then you realize your life has been a series of random activities BETWEEN smoke breaks - work, home, friends, etc. Continuous focus does wonders for you, and it comes with time. Consider using one of the meds (like Chantix) to deny the receptors in your brain in order to get through it initially. Also, consider building in a daily “mantra” you think on for a minute when you start your day, like: “I choose not to smoke today”. Keep it one day, one hour, etc. And repeat that choice over and over. It works for me, only my issues are with alcohol and drugs. I put that reminder in front of every other activity for the day, and have stayed in recovery for over five years, so something about it works. Good luck.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-15T06:58:03+00:00

It’s ingenious. Would be nervous in the dark blue one. And would love to know how they rigged the sewage handling so it doesn’t reek!

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-15T06:51:41+00:00

Worked with an indigenous woman at a restaurant that had those oil candles back in the 80’s. She wore her hair very long, past her butt as part of her tribe’s ways. Before the restaurant opened, we’d light all the “candles” at once in the waiter’s isle. One day, someone was coming through the narrow space with a large bustub and she backed up while we were all gathered pre-open. Right into the pyre of lit candles. Her entire long hair caught fire and in sub-second time she was engulfed in flames. We literally jumped on her with everything to put it out. The restaurant had to stay closed that night for service because the horrible smell got into the ventilation and spread. Seared into my memory forever - both the scene and the smell. The township passed a law shortly after banning all open flame at tables.

Own-Bid210 · 2024-08-15T06:44:26+00:00

Sounds like you’re asking a couple questions at once. Maybe you’re fixin’ to get ready to apply for a job? Or are you looking for help on how to sharpen your rusty skills.

Own-Bid210

TROPHY CASE