what they don’t tell you about entrepreneurship
It’s fucking hard!
Harder than anything you’ve done before.
Not only it will test you physically, mentally and emotionally every day, it will push you to your extreme limits, beyond what normal people go through in their worst days… and then some more.
You give it everything you have and yet you have higher chances of failing than making it, statistically speaking of course. But I know what you tell yourself: you’re better than others.
Just stop for a moment and realize that everyone thinks that (they really do), which means there are no others.
So before you start dreaming about all the money, fame and women, ask yourself this: are you ready to pay the price? and the price is a lot more than you expect.
I’ll be honest here; If I knew all of that before starting my own business, I wouldn’t have done it.
Maybe I’m a pussy. You’re surely not.
January 28, 2012 at 11:05pm
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why I’m being a jerk to local startups
In his Wamda piece about Cairo StartupWeekend, Omar has referred to me as “notoriously hard to please”, so it got me thinking about this reputation of mine and how it came to be in the first place.
So, why am I such an asshole to local startups?
Because I refuse to treat them like children.
Everyone claps and cheers for stupid ideas and embarrassing products, because they want to encourage what they see as vain attempts, in the hope that someday those young founders can grow up to create actually decent stuff.
How do I know that? It’s because this is what they tell me, in confidence of course.
Those industry leaders, investors, CEOs, StartupWeekend judges and mentors secretly think this about you and your work, but end up saying ego-soothing comments and words of support.
I dunno about you, but this sounds insulting to me! I surely don’t want to be treated as such, and I believe that we need to be held up to the highest standards, that startups in places like Silicon Valley are held up to.
How can we ever learn to create great products if we’re constantly told that our shitty pathetic creations are good enough?
The teams behind world-leading products like Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare and Path are certainly no better than anyone of us here in the region, only difference is they have very high standards which the industry expects of them, and they work their ass off to meet that.
In closing, I ask you again: do you still want to be treated like children?
what entrepreneurship is really about
3 things:
1- making a shitload of money
2- saying fuck you to your boss, and never working for someone else again
3- having the freedom to do whatever the hell you want to
Everyone is going around trying to glorify it by saying things like: entrepreneurship is about solving “real” problems, changing the world or building great products, and so and so… you know, the usual bullshit…
Truth is, you can do all of these things if you work for others, and sometimes more effectively! You can’t argue that the average employee inside Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon are changing the world, building great products and solving problems more than 80% of the entrepreneurs out there.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for people starting their own business, just don’t go around and over-glorifying what you do and make a prophet out of yourself… let’s be real.
October 27, 2011 at 12:03pm
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no one gives a fuck about your Klout score!
Seriously… do you think people check out your Klout score before they talk to you or reply to your tweets? get a life…
Try to realize how ridiculous it is that your social self-worth is being tied to some guys writing stupid algorithms and playing with them like kids!
You’re better off seeking some Penis enlargement treatments… at least someone will really care about the difference!
October 24, 2011 at 12:21am
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Having fun with Siri
iPhone 4S
If you’re considering an iPhone 4S, you only need to read those reviews:
David Pogue / New York Times
Joshua Topolsky / This is my next
Walter S. Mossberg / AllThingsD
John Gruber / Daring Fireball
MG Siegler / TechCrunch
I read all of the above and many more so you don’t have to… here’s the final verdict in short:
- If you own any phone other than iPhone 4 (especially Android), then go get this one!
- If you already have an iPhone 4, then only get the 4S if you rely heavily on its Camera or could really need the extra speed.
- Siri is fucking awesome! and if the idea of a smart voice-activated personal assistant tickles you, then you won’t be disappointed!
Me personally? I’m getting one!
why I’m not going to GITEX this year
because it’s fucking boring
Every significant invention must be startling, unexpected, and must come into a world that is not prepared for it. If the world were prepared for it, it would not be much of an invention.
— Edwin H. Land - The Man Who Inspired Jobs
why I’m boycotting TEDxDubai
because the organizers are a bunch of dicks!
October 1, 2011 at 4:48pm
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nominative determinism: the tendency for our names to influence our life decisions as we subconsciously gravitate towards choices that remind us of ourselves.
— Wired UK Magazine
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