Before the Startup

Paul Graham’s essay Before the Startup offers six counterintuitive lessons for those considering entrepreneurship—especially students.

1. Startups Defy Intuition

Graham compares startup thinking to skiing—your natural instincts often lead you astray. “Startups are as unnatural as skiing.” Founders frequently ignore valuable advice, only to regret it later.

2. Domain Expertise > Startup Knowledge

Rather than studying fundraising mechanics, aspiring founders should become experts in their users’ problems. Detailed knowledge of startup procedures can actually be counterproductive, encouraging founders to imitate superficial behaviors rather than focus on “making something people want.”

3. Gaming the System Stops Working

Unlike school or corporate environments, startups cannot be manipulated through appearances. Success requires genuine user value, not clever tactics.

“Startups are as impersonal as physics.”

4. Startups Are All-Consuming

Founding demands complete dedication for years. Graham advises against starting in college, comparing it to having children—an irreversible life change. Early exploration offers irreplaceable benefits that startup success eliminates.

5. You Cannot Self-Assess Readiness

Past achievements don’t predict startup success. Only attempting one reveals your actual capacity.

6. Ideas Emerge Organically

The best startup ideas develop unconsciously through genuine curiosity and meaningful work, not forced brainstorming.

Graham’s advice: “just learn.”

My Takeaway

Focus on authentic intellectual development, work on genuinely interesting problems, and delay startup creation until you’ve developed domain expertise. The preparation matters more than the launch.

What’s your approach to preparing for entrepreneurship? I’d love to hear at persdre@gmail.com.