Comments on: Startup Lessons from Marine Officer Training School http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/ Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:25:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: giffc http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/comment-page-1/#comment-60 giffc Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:43:20 +0000 http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/#comment-60 there's nothing like practice and trial runs to smooth the rough edges there's nothing like practice and trial runs to smooth the rough edges

]]> By: Carter http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Carter Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:23:29 +0000 http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/#comment-59 That's true, but sometimes long-term goals also change completely <br>based on your first encounter with the market.<br><br>Paypal's vision was initially all about this hardcore PDA to PDA <br>payment technology. But when they launched the service people kept <br>using their website until eventually they shut down their PDA to PDA <br>service and changed the entire focus of their business. That's true, but sometimes long-term goals also change completely
based on your first encounter with the market.

Paypal's vision was initially all about this hardcore PDA to PDA
payment technology. But when they launched the service people kept
using their website until eventually they shut down their PDA to PDA
service and changed the entire focus of their business.

]]> By: Richard http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Richard Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:39:31 +0000 http://www.astatespacetraveler.com/startup-lessons-from-marine-officer-training-school/#comment-58 This is an interesting post, but I believe it applies to one aspect of startups - the importance of testing. Hypothesize (i.e. have an idea), test, verify (and repeat).<br><br>However, it does ignore one aspect of startups and that is the importance of strategic direction, or vision. <br><br>As a startup there are always many "opportunities" - I believe that is typical of the startup mentality, the ability to see opportunities where other's don't.<br><br>As such it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff and ensure that these experiments on consistent with long-term strategic goals.<br><br>I think that is one of the major difficulties of a startup is the ability to try out new things, but cut them when they aren't working. So while I agree with the main thrust of the post... I thought I would comment with this caveat. This is an interesting post, but I believe it applies to one aspect of startups – the importance of testing. Hypothesize (i.e. have an idea), test, verify (and repeat).

However, it does ignore one aspect of startups and that is the importance of strategic direction, or vision.

As a startup there are always many “opportunities” – I believe that is typical of the startup mentality, the ability to see opportunities where other's don't.

As such it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff and ensure that these experiments on consistent with long-term strategic goals.

I think that is one of the major difficulties of a startup is the ability to try out new things, but cut them when they aren't working. So while I agree with the main thrust of the post… I thought I would comment with this caveat.

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