In a word, yes. Accounting for startups means we don’t just assume the startup is going to fail, we take the initiative to do something to change the situation. We don’t wait until the end to fix the problem, we fix it right then and there.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. The problem is that we are all too used to solving problems from the top of the hill, and in any given situation there will be things that need to be done in order to get the problem solved. That can make it a slow and difficult process. Like what happens when you try to fix a leaky roof once the rain starts falling.
Sometimes it’s easier to just go to the top of the hill and fix it later, but in other situations the task is almost impossible. We tend to go back to the top when we can’t find anything more.
Accounting is a process whereby we look at a situation, and try to identify the problem, the process to do it, the time needed, and the resources required. The more difficult the problem is, the more difficult accounting is. Because we tend to look at things from the top of the hill and just think to ourselves, “Oh shit, I’m going to go back to the top and fix it later,” which is a bad habit.
The situation is more difficult since we cant go back to the top because we dont know how to fix it. In accounting we have to ask, “What is the problem? What is the process? What is the time needed?” These are the same questions we keep asking ourselves in startup situations.
Well, what exactly is the problem? Well, the problem is that the accounting is going to be a headache. Because we don’t know how to fix it, we will have to go back to the top and figure it out. Which means we have to go back to the top and keep asking the same questions. Which is what I think we should be doing.
What’s the story of the game? We have a story about a guy who got killed in a crash. A guy who had a hard time getting his car out and got his job back as a lab technician. That really is a bad piece of shit. His job was for the lab, and the guy was a lab technician. Well, all of a sudden he had a hard time getting his car out, so he went back and got his job back.
This is where we get to the part that I guess I’m most pissed off about. Because I’ve heard all the people who make a living in tech tell me that they get to “figure it out” and do the “big stuff”, and it really is just a matter of “doing the right thing” and “the right way” in regards to how you use your time. What I find really annoying is when people talk about getting things done.
Accounting for startup is a catch phrase that is used to describe many startups. The idea is that you take full ownership of your company, or at least the part of it that you are able to control. The idea is that it is a good thing. If you build a successful company, you can use your startup as a platform to grow your business.
This is a very good point. The idea that you should be able to give more of yourself to your company than you would for your spouse or significant other is something I struggle with. The idea of being taken care of is so appealing. But I have to say that I struggle with it when it comes to my own startup. I have the luxury of being able to take on more responsibility, but it’s something that I want to do the right way.