Why Should I Start a Startup?

Seibel says startups suit people who do their best work without a predictable path, with low odds of success and personal responsibility for failure. He distinguishes them from people who prefer the structure and rules of large companies, and from a smaller group who can thrive in either setting.

Seibel advises people to understand which kind of work fits them instead of feeling pressured by parents or startup advocates. He notes that founders often stop doing the craft they originally enjoyed and spend more time on tasks they are less skilled at.

Seibel asks where people apply effort naturally, feel self-motivated and deliver their strongest results. For him, those moments did not happen in highly structured settings such as school, even though he did well there.

Seibel says advice often reflects the interests of the person giving it. He describes students imagining high-impact roles at Google, while companies also recruit to keep talented people from joining competitors or starting competing businesses. He adds that peers can be useful for navigating school but poor guides to careers, where they may know little more than you do.

Seibel says conventional paths can place people in productive roles, but may keep some from doing their best work. A job at Google is likely safer financially, while startup work can suit people who would not enjoy a structured role. He suggests trying projects, including in college, to learn how entrepreneurial work feels.