SoLastYear
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Jun 28, 2016 7:02 PM
SoLastYear
257567
18183
636
keybladers
Irony: AirBnB cofounders can't afford rent. Fast forward, Rent prices going up and rentable places disappearing to make money on AirBnB
Roekias
Quite the collection of mental masturbation here.
Ivalicenyan
Angry Birds: Wanted to make one more ripoff of another's work...
PhoqueOff
It's just sad. Stop trying to be Steve Jobs, just try and be happy. And remember, no need for all this in order to be a successful plumber.
rifleGunofReddit
I want to put you in a diaper
PhoqueOff
Pls do so daddy <3 <3 <3
IsometricMan
"Until 25 bartender at his own bar." UM. HE OWNED A BAR AT 25! Not exactly struggling was he?
GabuEx
I love the "how X started" posts. It's like "they did stuff, but didn't succeed, but then they did!" What... are we supposed to learn, here?
LarvaLamp
Skip to the succeeding part.
schmoog
So 50 out of like 6.5 billion did well.
ProfessorMorifarty
Infographics are garbage, and 90% of startups fail. This isn't meant to discourage, but a dose of reality never hurts.
Justanotherdingdongdiddlydoobergoober
Founder of Hershey stopped school at 9?? What am I doing with my life?
onlyhalfghost
he probably had /more/ education than usual by being in school /until/ 9. Education wasn't common back then.
SwiftMustacheMan
Hersey was founded back when almost no one made it past elementary school, so you're doing fine.
CoolerBetterFasterStronger
The founder of Wendy's actual went back and got a high school GED so people wouldnt try to follow in his footsteps by dropping out.
smelltron
good on him
Eggly
I dropped out of every job I ever had, but gladly completed all my schooling.
mataleao87
I wish shit like thia would take into account how much society has changed from the time you could drop out of 3rd grade and start a company
SDGuitar
Most examples are recent. Modern times(read: internet) has allowed the average person a chance at success previously only open to the elite
ularg
How Angry Birds got started: They stole the idea of a flash game someone else already made.
uRB4N
Vera Wang got famous because her father spent millions promoting her designs and asked celebs to wear them. Source: She's my godmother.
JenniferAniston
Whats it like being Vera Wangs godchild?
usernametoremember
Do you wanna be my friend?
JenniferAniston
sure
SoMuchPooPooSon
Whats it like being Jennifer Aniston?
JenniferAniston
fucking awesome
dEXm64
It's fine to forge your own path but the way these things demonize traditional career success is deplorable. Not everyone can be an entrepre
SwiftMustacheMan
Besides, not everyone even wants to be successful.
dEXm64
To mean, work is a means to life. If it's something I enjoy, that's a bonus but I like stability and knowing I can afford the life I choose
SwiftMustacheMan
Actually, that would depends, as where I come from, success is having way more than you need. And seen as an imperative. So I dunno.
EtropyNotEmpathy
The problem with this thinking is that in never review's all the dropouts that completely fail in life, which is almost 95%.
Mahuk
even though saying 95% drop outs fail in life is as bs as any example in the post or saying having a degree will surely grant you success
EtropyNotEmpathy
Thank you argument nit picker. I will admit the percentage is a hyperbole but it is still semi valid
Mahuk
70% of residents in the US (aprox) and over 80% of the world don't have a degree. Are they all a complete fail? NO, your statement is bs.
artbyraincoats
Dave Thomas the founder of Wendy's worried kids would hear he didn't finish highschool. So he went back at age 60 and graduated 1/2
artbyraincoats
I find it mean to put him on thtat statistic when he got his highschool diploma because he was worried about it being used to inspire.
NOTsoOrderlyConduct
fuck this stupid ass post
notme222
An entrepreneur is someone who'll work 80 hours to avoid working 40. (That reminds me, I gotta get the fuck off Imgur.)
SirSage
Most entrepreneurs would rather be their own slaves.
Eldibs
To quote xkcd - "I never trust anyone who's more excited about success than about doing the thing they want to be successful at."
maniacalmacaroni
.
statetheobvious
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same;
AnIdiotWhoShouldBeShot
Very true. You know if someone says "I want to do X so I can be rich and famous" then they're untalented pieces of shit.
ct95
I've never heard so much bollocks. Every top closing salesman I've ever met does their job for financial freedom they're not "untalented".
AnIdiotWhoShouldBeShot
Yeah but being a salesman isn't a creative thing. You're not excited about sharing your talents, you're just excited getting rich.
ct95
That is singlehandedly the most naive thing I've ever heard. Sales process & cycle design, constantly putting out fires, tailoring pitches
AnIdiotWhoShouldBeShot
That's just thinking up ways to make more money. You're not expressing anything. You can't say: This is who I am, here's what I have inside.
ct95
God forbid we share best practice and knowledge too! But nah of course none of that contains creativity, why would it?
TresusIbor
That has absolutely no connection.
AnIdiotWhoShouldBeShot
Sure it does.
360Tableflip
I hear you fam. Rich and famous = successful. Do X = Doing the thing. Not hard to see what you meant.
rollercostarican
i think it just means they value the destination over the journey.
AnIdiotWhoShouldBeShot
No it means they're more interested in success than being good at what they do.
rollercostarican
generally speaking you have to be good at what you do, or perceived to be, in order to be successful. Its not that they arent good at -1
rollercostarican
what they do, its that they choose what they do based solely on estimated income/notoriety and nothing else.-2
360Tableflip
I think you guys mean to say the same thing but are getting caught in words. Success = destination. Doing the thing = the journey.
103Brewer
Gotta comment...in my latest biz, for over 2.5 decades. DO NOT compare your start-up to Pinterest, Facebook, or Uber! Contact for stories!
SoMuchPooPooSon
I believe the point of the post is to take inspiration, not to use the same model.
ArneNielsen
Are you an entrepreneur OP?
feeltheice
I'm not op but I started a real estate company does that count?
RepostalService
Not if its in Miami
KijijiT
Getting off your ass and doing anything for yourself is the point - succeed or fail.
JesusMowsMyLawn
As a business owner for 18 years now...this is mostly crap.
thisisabigdecision
Do tell @Jesusmowsmylawn
JesusMowsMyLawn
There are several books/articles showing a lot is luck and a lot is already being rich or having funding. You don't just go get money /1
JesusMowsMyLawn
and if you do get funding it means you're giving away 50% of your company or much more for it. Angels and VCs don't work like on TV.
thisisabigdecision
Messed up my first comment... That is a good point because it seems like you lose a lot of 'say' in your business when you accept funding.
kawaiibrah
Business owners are fundamentally different from the types of entrepreneurs they are highlighting in the post though. But yeah, there's so
kawaiibrah
much wrong with this.
JesusMowsMyLawn
Business owner/entrepreneur - sometimes interchangeable, sometimes not I guess. I see your point but I'm in tech so it's close to the same.
kawaiibrah
it's always cool to come across someone else in the same space. What do you guys do?
kawaiibrah
By no means degrading biz owners - they are the lifeblood of the US and presumably most countries. I'm in the whole tech startup space so
TheProofIsInDePudding
I dropped out of university and im not a founder of shit.
trippydave
Wait till your 52 or something i think that's what the info-graph is saying.
kraftmegaroni
i found my keys.
youarecool
you get top comment though
Idiotcommentsforidiotpeopleaboutidiottasksonidiotthreadidiot
the people in the info-graph decided that school was no longer needed to accomplish their goals. you dropped out due to not doing well prob
ElbowdeepinElmo
Just follow the infographics above, surely will skyrocket you into eternal wealth.
doobyscoo
There is a very important distinction between successful people who dropped out of school and unsuccessful ones...
doobyscoo
The latter did it because they couldn’t grasp and master it. The former did it because they outgrew it.
mitchrz
Dude, your name is cheeseturds. I'd like to remind people that they need to be positive and have goals if they want to be successful.
TheProofIsInDePudding
WHATS MY NAME GOT TO DO WITH ANYTHING. DISCRIMINATION!!
mitchrz
TheProofIsInDePudding
....
Lyrian
I'm no expert, but you should see a doctor if you can't found shit on a daily basis.
Usernamesarejustlabels
But you are creator of shit
Laiorwyn
Yeah... They got where they were because of hard work and prevailing despite many setbacks. Not because of dropping out.
SpellboundFish
Not to mention most of those dropouts were pretty damn smart already.
evolution4407
I have an MBA and I'm not a founder of shit either.
Thehandthat
Bizz degrees are fucking worthless... did it not tip you off when guest speakers came in that never went to school?
AnonresponsivE
I dropped out of high school. I'm specifically a founder of shit.
HiggsBosonYoFace
*combing the desert* We ain't found SHIT.
SandpaperCock
I too found shit once.
evolution4407
What kind of shit?
MazeFire
That stinky morning shit I'd expect
pseudointel
Good shit
PunjabiMacgyver
Good shit? Good shit.
BunBunIsMySpiritAnimal
Shit.
brobrobrourboat
The best shit ever.
skongebob
You found imgur
KervensAtis
???????? u deserve something amazing for this
RollMcFizzlebeef
like an upvote!
TheSkeletonWar
HOLY SHIT!? Millions, NO, Billions of people use shit every day to process their bodywaste, and you're the one that came up with it? AMAZING
MrRandom314159
I recommend you eat more fiber.
wonwonweasley
This is to show you that you CAN be a founder of something.
MoooCow
I don't think anyone is looking for shit. Try a startup around dank memes
CreepyPhlox
That one makes me mad. Bill Gates dropped out of a HARVARD masters program...not exactly the same as being a high school dropout.
JebediahJones
Interestingly enough, neither is being a university dropout...but I get your point.
anubis4567
There's also lot's of millionaires and billionaires who didn't really get going until later in life. Never too late to better yourself.
hellotheregovenah
Back then it was ok, now we have to work extra hard at education to be competitive
AnEvilLemon
And did you know that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are successful because their industries had almost no competition during their beginnings?
SoMuchPooPooSon
You make it sound easy. It was much harder - they had to create their own opportunities and industries, not work within existing ones.
AnEvilLemon
Oh yeah, it was hard work. But to say that because they dropped out and became successful means anyone can is asinine. They worked at 1/2
AnEvilLemon
the right time on the right things. Skill was most certainly involved. But so was a lot of luck.
SoMuchPooPooSon
I don't think that's the point of the post. It's not saying to drop out, it's saying if you already have there's still hope.
AnEvilLemon
Yeah, but I recently made the transition from high school to college. I got a lot of dropout friends who use that stat as an excuse to fail.
SoMuchPooPooSon
Well then your friends are idiots, but that doesn't discount the information above.
LarvaLamp
See #4
nowinsituation
First rule, don't use your own money, second rule, don't borrow money...
Laiorwyn
Especially from family!
CreepyPhlox
And that's where Kickstarter.com was born from.
ButterfaceTaintClown
Makinglendingpeoplemoneynotlooklikelendingpeoplemoney.com
Kubicsko
This may be the greatest quote I have ever read, thank you
Yeabuuddy
Have people just give you money! If you are passionate enough and lucky... you can find a couple bucks
nowinsituation
No, I started with a laptop a phone and my trained skills...took any case that walked in the door, developed a specialization over tine.
WhimsicalCalamari
kickstarter
nowinsituation
They may not give you the money but they may risk it's a share holder or partner.
103Brewer
Fourth rule, be born rich!
nowinsituation
Nope, rich kids usually end up wasting the money they get. Middle class and working class kids tend to do the best.
Flexiblewarmth
It's not unusual for a rich kid to actually make a fortune themselves before inheriting it. Seen it many times.
Frederf
Rule 1 is when you have their money, never give it back.
MC182
http://imgur.com/Dct0Et2
Parsonius
Third rule... get a government grant.
ForgivingCat
A small loan of a million dollars.
notenoughmail
Basically steal everything. Capitalism 101.
BriLikeAnEagle
Yes, students, always refer to #3 - 12 people in the history of the world have dropped out and made it big. Don't let school hold you back!
Counterfit
The one exception is Berklee. If you graduate from Berklee School of Music, you aren't that good.
BriLikeAnEagle
Hah. I don't know much about that school despite living about 2 miles from it. I'll have to take your word.
Motament
The way I see it, you are ether Doing or Learning. If you are currently not running a sustainable business, stay in school.
DraigArglwydd
It's more like college is neutral than a hindrance, it's more about being business minded and creative, also being extroverted, networking
owmur
Yeah, plus there's a major difference between dropping out of Harvard and dropping out of college because it;s hard.
CleverUsernameNotTaken
Also just a reminder, about 4/5 people on that list founded their companies in the early 1900s, when college wasn't considered necessary.
notenoughmail
It still isn't.
HowlingDysphoria
Yes! That's all I needed to hear, I'm going to go and drop out right now!
HowlingDysphoria
Nvm guys it didn't work, pls send help
trowavo
I learned programming from one of my course in college and started building apps on the side. I then dropped of college because the thing >>
trowavo
I was learning were not relevant in my opinion. Plus it was a lot of money and time. Now I'm working as a software developer with enough >>
trowavo
Money to live on my own and have everything I need. Yes I dropped put of college but I had a better option and college wad holding me back>>
BriLikeAnEagle
Yeah, programming/tech is a field where it's an exception. If you're good enough/can prove it, you prob dont need a degree. Congrats, btw.
trowavo
yes my story/advice will only work for fields that are unregulated and there is a way to prove your skills. It wouldn't work for medical/law
trowavo
Just dropping out doesn't make you successful.
notenoughmail
100% like my college buddy.
Laiorwyn
The school system can only do so much for you. Everyone learns differently but school teaches all the same. Need to do your own learning!
Laiorwyn
I always tell my brother that if school is boring or irrelevant then he needs to dig deeper and find out why they think it's so important.
DefunkMyJunk
Bill Gates dropped out of college and then basically INVENTED what he wanted to study. He's really a genius
meccit
Bill Gates dropped out of _Harvard_ (after getting in) because they could not teach him more than he already knew about computers.
Breuger
Not to mention that he did complete many courses and dropped out after he learned what he wanted to from them.
swinglinered
He found out how to monetize software for small computers.
DefunkMyJunk
Yea I'd say he was a bit of an asshole on monetizing things
SoMuchPooPooSon
And unlike Jobs, he's a personable guy and generous with his money.
The22ndDoctor
#3 It bothers me immensely that a quote from Samuel Clemmens is used, but his education level is not listed.
idownvotekittens
I agree, N-word Jim.
MikailK
IAmTheSpiderBro
Yeah, well, It bothers me slightly that you unnecessarily transitioned to the author's real name in your comment.
The22ndDoctor
http://imgur.com/Wp2Uxhi What do you call it when Cookie Monster eats a peacock? Nom nom nom de plume.
EvilEkips
I'll just +1 this for the greatest sci-fi series ever made.
The22ndDoctor
http://imgur.co">EJmqAR8">http://imgur.com/EJmqAR8 http://imgur.com/1ri4H2L
jackpwns
Right? That irked me as well. Mark Twain is a perfectly cromulent name and the point could've been made without invoking the true name.
PompatusOfLove
This fails to mention that for every Zuckerberg, Gates and Jobs, there are thousands of people who didnt succeed.
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Whiteoak789
Not to mention most of them came from some sort of wealth.
lambaline
Survivorship bias is a bitch
appaismyspiritanimal
It also fails to mention that Dave Thomas of Wendy's went back to get his GED. He didn't want kids to think dropping out was a good idea.
notaballoon
And that Zuckerberg, Gates, and Jobs came from wealthy backgrounds that allowed them undergo long periods where they weren't making money
ImmortalSquid
And not everyone strikes a gold mine, but many do make it to a good place none the less
Katielady089
My roommate and business partner stared renting our condo on Airbnb instead of traditional lease renting. making triple what we would have.
Katielady089
And we don't come from money. Now we're forming an LLC with plans to buy more properties. It's not a gold mine, but it's a start.
ZnozWoodlands
That's the spirit
superatheist
Welp, might as well not even try then!
IreallyMGur
Gurbaksh Chahal, included on the dropouts infograph was caught on tape beating up his gf & copped a lesser plea when the tape was thrown out
TheRealEngali
People don't understand correlation !=causation. If you're smart enough to get IN to these schools,you have a high chance of not needing it.
MajorLeagueFister
Millions, even
Newblood117
And everyone laughs when fools play the lottery
LTDEdition
Missed a lot of steps
tiwoy
Nobody says you need to drop out to succeed, but that formal education is not as much a requirement for success as you are told.
gamesthatiplay
Those are exceptions to the rule. Its like an art or something, for everyone famous there are thousands of starving artists.
GroovySloth
And I'd imagine those successful dropouts actually had a plan.
kubit
Also, each of those people became successful in large part due to blind luck.
iAmNature
You say this discouraging statement, but have you tried? It's not a lottery because you have a direct stake in your own chances.
iAmNature
Even if you only make $50,000/year, that's plenty to live on with minimal work. my goal is $1,000/year. That's not impossible by far.
rollercostarican
sure, but honestly risk needs to be calculated. $50k/yr running your own business could be A LOT more stressful than $50k working for -1
rollercostarican
someone else. Being forced to constantly find new business, picking up the slack, extra long hours just to reach that $50k, it might make-2
rollercostarican
more sense for some to clock in/out, minimize risk and effort and relaxingly take home that guarenteed $50k. Evaluate all possibilities-3
daelythm
Well, what will people pay you for? If you try to find something new and unique, you won't get anywhere. But if you find what you can do...
daelythm
that people have proven works, that fills a need in a geographic location, then you can succeed at stable growth. It's a statistic. We...
daelythm
don't need everyone to be innovators. Not everyone is exceptional by nature, but everyone can contribute and pay their own way.
iAmNature
And in turn allows them to optimize their living situation. Statistics plays a vital role in this.
DVSBSTrD
True, but the same can be said about people who did finish school. It all comes down to the individual.
Molanski13
Yes, but finishing school gives one a better chance of being somewhat successful even if they never become a millionaire
DVSBSTrD
Hopefully.
filben7
Millions, millions who dont make it. You are more likely to win the lottery.
canduterio
Did you mean "millions"
scubthebub
It's actually called survivor bias https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qd3erAPI9w&ab_channel=2veritasium
lucymoose
This world needs more people to at least try!
AngeloMonharti
We can't all be heroes
CharlesFuckingBronson
The best bullshit sales pitches come from people 'teaching' you how to sell shit.
Journeycake
All of whom people are unable to name, because they never made it anywhere.
comicreader
Statistics, fate, luck, etc.
GalaxyRangerZero
Thanks negative Nancy
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ChiLLeCheeze
Probably not a university though. Go to a trade school instead.
HenryJP
Why so many dislikes?
ChiLLeCheeze
Because people are stupid and think going to a university over a trade school is a smarter thing to do.
ineedausernamerightmeow
I couldn't find Elon Musk on that one..
GabuEx
Yeah, if you only focus on those who succeeded, you get a very distorted view. Find the stories of those who failed, too. They're important.
ct95
I currently run three automated revenue streams from small businesses while working full time - the failures were much more important to 1/2
ct95
Me as a business owner, instead of learning from only my mistakes I learned from theirs too. I accredit most of my initial success to that.
darkronin348
How to succeed 101: Have talent, work hard, be born rich. 2/3 probably won't cut it. But hey, 2/3 means your kids might have a chance to.
dfspence
Yea but still
iDinozik
just thousands ? i would even bet to millions, all those examples you can compare with lottery ...
giggitygawds
Not many people are out there really pushing to create something new on their own time. Or at least, among my friends. Luck is huge though.
johnvictor
I think the lottery is better odds actually.
ct95
The lottery is based on probability, luck doesn't exist in business and I'd challenge any successful business owner who told you otherwise.
TheCommunistComrade
But the lottery isn't influenced by your own skills and dedication, this can be.
eetsumkaus
there are not "millions" of people actually failing at becoming the next Jobs. If we did, we'd be a far more productive society...
SudoNimm
I admire the optimism.
eetsumkaus
haha, more like pessimism. If we had millions failing, then that means we have millions trying. Which is highly unlikely.
BitLizard
He/she was being sarcastic...
BeanBagKing
Not to mention Gates dropped out of Harvard, while acing advanced courses. Before you drop out, make sure you're a genius in Ivy League.
LTDEdition
You want to be the best at what you do, find what you do best, what you also love. This part can take a long time.
tehboomer
Even that is not always enough.
LTDEdition
You're right. But it's where you have the best chance. Because you are competing with everyone else.
Grehgous
Big difference between being a genius who dropped out of Harvard, and someone who drops out of 10th grade.
koopaya
Yeah, I'm willing to bet a lot more successful people are walking around with finished degrees than not.
AmiEvilYet
A degree would 'pay' like 15% non-compounding return a year long term if it were viewed as a long term bond. So yah. Not bad.
LetumComplexo
Well, assuming it's not just in feminist dance therapy anyways.
numbersmczap
Twelve people drop out to become millionaires. Millions have dropped out to become twelve-ionaires.
SandpaperCock
I'm fortunate to even barely be a one-ionaire! One day, one day I'll be a twelve-ionaire... one day.
artsystuff
Wow, I hope that one day I can be a twelve-ionaire.
WarfritLive
I have three kids and no money... Why can't I have no kids and three money?
secondtalon
Gates also had parents bankrolling him. Lots of these people did.
wardenclyfe
Very true, there was a book written about how all these people were pretty damn fortunate as well as smart
skizums
The book is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Hardy4395
21 and I have my own company, doing well, left school at 16. If it wasn't for middle class parents I'd never be where I am. Life's a lottery
secondtalon
Hey, good on you for recognizing it.
Hardy4395
I think everyone in similar situations recognises it, it's just that pride can stop people from admitting it. It still took blood and toil!
FerricNitrate
Also these guys had the ideas, sometimes even the initial companies in place, BEFORE dropping out.
djzkay
Well...I dropped out last year and I wasn't in an Ivy league school (or a genius) and I'm doing quite well in my venture...
HelGolfian
Which is?
SandpaperCock
fapping. I bet his/her venue is fapping.
djzkay
I own an e-commerce website and run the fulfillment center full time. The other 1/2 of the business is an on-demand fulfillment service(1/2)
djzkay
for DTG printing or embroidered items.