The Illusion of Success

Often times, the best startups are the best at seeming more successful than they are.

I say this not as advice, but more as a disclaimer for when you hear about other companies doing well and are tempted to compare them to your own. Startups aren’t putting their failures in press releases; they’re not widely advertising their pivots; they’re not telling anyone when they layoff 30 people.

The best CEOs and founders are good storytellers, and storytellers intentionally omit details that don’t square with the narrative they’re trying to tell. Don’t compare your startup to the illusion of success put out by other companies.

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