Comments on: Epitaph for an Entrepreneur

By: Mili Mittal

Mili Mittal — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:46:58 +0000

Thanks for pointing me to this, Steve. It helps to put things in perspective and also lowers the burden of guilt that I sometimes feel when I am spending time on myChef versus with my boyfriend/family and vice versa. I’ve created some similar rules for myself but they are not so robust as we don’t have our own family yet!

By: tanzania safaris

tanzania safaris — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:40:15 +0000

This was so important especially for me, because Iam just starting up my company and family.

By: Ali Raza

Ali Raza — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:31:20 +0000

Hi Steve,

Many thank for your post and thanks for sharing tips.

I am a husband and a father of two kids. I am trying to become a successful entrepreneur. And many times I can’t mange time among work, family and school. Your post gave me valuable tools and technique which I am planning to embrace. Like you I come from work around 7 pm and spend time with the family until kids go to bed. Then again go back to work. But many time I can’t keep up with kid events and birthday parties.

After reading your post I think it is possible.

Once again, thanks.

Ali

By: Murray Galbraith

Murray Galbraith — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:22:51 +0000

Thank you so much Steve. I came across this post randomly via Twitter and it has totally shifted the perspective of my entire day.

I am only 28 but have wrestling with whether or not to dive back into Startup City after getting married late last year and this has totally given me a new perspective on the issue. I want my wife (and hopefully, children) to be as proud of my achievements as my peers.

Thanks again for your honesty.
Murray / @muzroyale

By: Lucas Nazário dos Santos

Lucas Nazário dos Santos — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:46:28 +0000

Hey, Steve.

You’re a true source of inspiration. I can’t wait to read your book.

Please keep delivering hope to mortals like me. I’m running my second startup after a failed one, and at the same time trying to balance social life and work.

Thanks a lot,
Lucas

By: Stefan Richter

Stefan Richter — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:50:50 +0000

Hello Steve,
this is a great post and it rings true on so many levels.
I watched the video of your girls and being a father of 3 girls myself (currently aged 1, 3 and 7) I’m not afraid to say that it brought tears to my eyes. The teenage break in your video is worrying

Stefan

PS: You clearly have a great taste for sofas, which lapsed for a while when you opted for the flowery pattern

By: The Most Popular Fatherhood Links — Father Apprentice

The Most Popular Fatherhood Links — Father Apprentice — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:04:02 +0000

[...] etc.Things a man should know about fatherhood – MSNMetroDad – Poppycock from a cocky popEpitaph for an entrepreneur – Steve BlankNational Fatherhood InitiativeRebel Dad – The stay at home dad revolution, [...]

By: Lara Galloway

Lara Galloway — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:42:56 +0000

Steve,

I was doing some research for a panel discussion I’ll be taking part in soon, and I stumbled across this series of posts. While this is a conversation that is active and never cliche in the mompreneur world I move in, it’s the first time I’ve heard it so clearly spelled out by a dad. Your wife and kids are lucky.

My favorite gem in this post? The idea of taking a video of your kids every month, on the couch, for 16 years. What an incredible way to show them you care about them. And then to present the videos as a time capsule of their life? That’s priceless.

I’m inspired.

Lara Galloway
http://www.mombizcoach.com

By: paolo marenco

paolo marenco — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:11:59 +0000

Steve, never happened to me to feel as a friend a person before meeting him…..let’s do it tomorrow
this post is great. My “second life” – i’m divorced too- is organized exacty as you mean, wife works home, I works home- a part some “one day trip” and 1 month/year in Silicon valley…It works, I’m happy.
Paolo

By: Why we didn’t apply to Seedcamp or running a startup in your 30s » nthwave

Why we didn’t apply to Seedcamp or running a startup in your 30s » nthwave — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:35:14 +0000

[...] question is how can one succeed as an entrepreneur in a high tech startup and have a family life. Steve Blank recently posted about how he and his wife managed to stick together and raise their kids while going thru a couple [...]

By: Best Driver Updater

Best Driver Updater — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:25:49 +0000

Thank you for sharing your experienced.
Now I know what to do..:)

By: Sean Glass

Sean Glass — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:24:08 +0000

As an entrepreneur who’s first company just filed it’s S-1 and who is just starting the process of launching another while his wife is pregnant, I found this post poignant and personally very useful. I hope that you and I will get a chance to meet in person sometime in the future. I’ve found your writing (from 4 steps to the blog) really helpful.. in fact, I’m using your book and the approach you use in your Stanford classes in a seminar class I’m going to teach at Yale next year. Thanks for being such a great thinker and advisor to the startup community!

By: Good Reads this week « double down

Good Reads this week « double down — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:15:37 +0000

[...] Epitaph for an Entrepreneur (Steve Blank) http://steveblank.com/2009/06/18/epitaph-for-an-entrepreneur/ [...]

By: steveblank

steveblank — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:31:05 +0000

Just extreme interest and curiosity in things I was working on. Eventually it caught up with me. See the post on "Burnout" steve

By: Power Extreme Alternative

Power Extreme Alternative — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:11:13 +0000

You seem to have extreme energy. Working for 8 hours at your desk, then playing with your kids, then working another 4-5 hours at night????

How have you accomplished this? Are you Superman?

Frankly, could you write a blog post about how you could cope with such a gruelling workload?

By: Vad ska det stå på din gravsten? « Aktiebolaget Tvärtemot

Vad ska det stå på din gravsten? « Aktiebolaget Tvärtemot — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:18:41 +0000

[...] Blank skriver här om sin resa som entreprenör och hur han balanserat (och inte balanserat) familjeliv och jobb. Han slutar [...]

By: Role Playing

Role Playing — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:03:07 +0000

[...] This article greatly inspired me: http://steveblank.com/2009/06/18/epitaph-for-an-entrepreneur/ [...]

By: Jason Nuss

Jason Nuss — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:05:35 +0000

I like your answer Steve. Don’t be overenthusiastic. I love what I do, I’m enthusiastic, but I don’t want to pressure my kids into something that may develop naturally else I may hinder that process. I’ll wait for the signs of interest and then encourage, help, and mentor as they need and as they want.

Thanks for the link too, I’m the poster child of the American dysfunctional family member. Interesting to know that a not so good part of my past is feeding my passion for the startup and my ability to function well in it. Wow. Thanks Mom and Dad?

I’m also now reading your book The Four Steps to the Epiphany. I’m just 25 pages and really absorbing your experience. I’m not sure I’ve read a book for the entreprenuer and startup, in my 15 years of doing it, that so well lays out the process NOT to follow and the process TO follow. Very nice.

–jason

By: The costs of entrepreneurship | Entrepreneurship for Self Empowerment

The costs of entrepreneurship | Entrepreneurship for Self Empowerment — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:56:00 +0000

[...] http://steveblank.com/2009/06/18/epitaph-for-an-entrepreneur/ Categories: Random Startup Articles Tags: Comments (0) Trackbacks (0) Leave a comment Trackback [...]

By: steveblank

steveblank — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:23:36 +0000

Jason,
Short answer is time will tell about my kids. They had the typical lemonade stands by the side of the road as kids, but no they didn’t start companies in high school. (I’ve worked with several entrepreneurs who did.)
Given they had a more stable childhood then I did http://steveblank.com/2009/05/18/founders-and-dysfunctional-families/ one potential source for entrepreneurial drive was eliminated.
They know that any path for their lives is possible and acceptable (except trying to live ours.)

My two cents: Kids interests change rapidly as they grow and try on different “who am I and what do I like” hats. Make sure you aren’t overenthusiastic too early or they’ll start doing it to please you. Then as they get older they’ll get tired of doing so later. If they are still interested in businesses in high school that’s the time for you to take a serious interest.

steve