Leadership is hard to train on.
BEN HOROWITZLeadership is hard to train on.
BEN HOROWITZIn Silicon Valley, when you’re a private company, the entrepreneur can do no wrong.
BEN HOROWITZThere are no silver bullets.
BEN HOROWITZAs companies move to web-based computing they get a lot more servers, which are difficult to manage and control. All kinds of problems can arise – security, quality and worms.
BEN HOROWITZWartime CEO is too busy fighting the enemy to read management books written by consultants who have never managed a fruit stand.
BEN HOROWITZA CEO needs great intelligence and great courage. And I always found my courage was tested more.
BEN HOROWITZFor example, the vast majority of security break-ins occur as a result of problems with known fixes. With an automated system, you can keep up to date.
BEN HOROWITZIt’s pretty clear that [customers] know what their budgets are now, and what they want to spend it on.
BEN HOROWITZIn my experience as CEO, I found that the most important decisions tested my courage far more than my intelligence.
BEN HOROWITZThese decisions intensify when you run a company, because the consequences get magnified 1,000 fold. As in life, the excuses for CEOs making the wrong choice are always plentiful.
BEN HOROWITZAs a company grows, communication becomes its biggest challenge.
BEN HOROWITZThe person they’re working with, is going to be the person they’ll know more. So if that person leaves, they’re going to go – well, should have I left too? What did they get and how does that compare to my deal.
BEN HOROWITZI think theres a lot to be said about just enjoying your work. It can be very contrived when people say their work is for the good of mankind.
BEN HOROWITZA key thing in being a leader is you’ve got to pause yourself.
BEN HOROWITZOne of the great things about building a tech company is the amazing people that you can hire.
BEN HOROWITZI don’t believe in statistics. I believe in calculus.
BEN HOROWITZ