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mikert89today at 12:37 PM6 repliesview on HN

No I think for the last 10-15 years, ivy types could legitimately just raise series A type money, run a company like shit, but capital was a moat and so ended up as CEOs.

This is actually how the world works


Replies

pj_mukhtoday at 1:18 PM

"This is actually how the world works"

The level to which our algorithmic feeds have made us so confidently wrong about things is so deeply problematic. Tech's original sin keeps biting us back. This rampant cynicism and nihilism borne from constant bombardment of headlines has us acting like we know the personal stories of all leadership all around the world, and it's deeply damaging to our trust in the system.

Plenty of Ivy League leaders quietly working away at their job, doing the best they can with great results and no one to write about them and you'll never hear about it anywhere. This is obvious to anyone on a second thought, but the first reactionary thought is what's acted on...always.

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bluGilltoday at 12:44 PM

You are confusing CEO pay with CEO ability. There is plenty of examples of companies doing poorly until a new CEO comes in, and others of a company doing well until the CEO retires and a replacement comes in.

Ivy types have a poor history of figuring out which is which in advance though.

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dexterdogtoday at 2:01 PM

In the startup world they're only really looking to bat better than 10 pct overall to mark success, right? Do we wonder why it's all just a crap shoot?

bkotoday at 1:06 PM

Investors aren't dumb. What does Ivy gain in this trade by just raising a lot of money and running it poorly?

You think he can raise a huge round and just decide to pay himself $20m a year?

Capital is not a moat. There are entire industries (VC, PE, Banks, etc) that are looking to write checks. Nothing would make them happier than to give you money, under the condition that there is significant upside (more VC) or assets (PE, Banks) and you commit to doing the hard work for very little pay.

This is actually how the world works.

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sumanthvepatoday at 1:40 PM

Dammit! Why am I the only 'Ivy type' that cannot raise a round?!!! .

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