--- title: "10 Knows Quotes By Ben Horowitz" description: "10 Knows quotes by Ben Horowitz. Plus more from Ben Horowitz and more Knows sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/ben-horowitz-1791_do-you-know_if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-yo_951590.png" --- > [If you have never done the job, how do you know what to want?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-you-know-what-to-want/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/ben-horowitz-1791_do-you-know_if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-yo_951590.png) > [The key to high-quality communication is trust, and its hard to trust somebody that you dont know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-key-to-high-quality-communication-is-trust-and-its-hard-to-trust/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/ben-horowitz-1791_communication_the-key-to-high-quality-communication-is_1132547.png) > [Your employees know each other better than they know you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/your-employees-know-each-other-better-than-they-know-you/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/ben-horowitz-1791_employee_your-employees-know-each-other-better-th_1223922.png) > [Nobody knows how to be a CEO. It's something you have to learn. It's a very lonely job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/nobody-knows-how-to-be-a-ceo-it-s-something-you-have-to-learn-it-s-a/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6f/ben-horowitz-1791_ceo_nobody-knows-how-to-be-a-ceo-it-s-someth_2144332.png) > [ It's pretty clear that \[customers\] know what their budgets are now, and what they want to spend it on. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/it-s-pretty-clear-that-customers-know-what-their-budgets-are-now-and/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/ben-horowitz-1791_budgets_it-s-pretty-clear-that-customers-know-wh_1109474.png) > [Until you make the effort to get to know someone or something, you don’t know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/until-you-make-the-effort-to-get-to-know-someone-or-something-you-don/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/ben-horowitz-1791_effort_until-you-make-the-effort-to-get-to-know_2731614.png) > [The person they're working with, is going to be the person they'll know more. So if that person leaves, they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-person-they-re-working-with-is-going-to-be-the-person-they-ll/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/ben-horowitz-1791_compare_the-person-they-re-working-with-is-going_443448.png) > [If somebody's going on your board, and you're going to be C.E.O., it will help if that person knows how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/if-somebody-s-going-on-your-board-and-you-re-going-to-be-c-e-o-it/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/ben-horowitz-1791_before_if-somebody-s-going-on-your-board-and-yo_2322981.png) > [You know what the difference between a vision and a hallucination is? They call it a vision when other people can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/you-know-what-the-difference-between-a-vision-and-a-hallucination-is/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ben-horowitz-1791_differences_you-know-what-the-difference-between-a-v_1058144.png) > [The right thing to do is to thank them for their work, let people know that they're moving on, and ... you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-right-thing-to-do-is-to-thank-them-for-their-work-let-people-know/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/ben-horowitz-1791_another-day_the-right-thing-to-do-is-to-thank-them-f_2407583.jpg) ## Other authors on Knows ## More by Ben Horowitz > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [Groupon looked like a very high valuation, but any investment in a great company at any stage is almost always a good investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/groupon-looked-like-a-very-high-valuation-but-any-investment-in-a/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [By far the most difficult skill I learned as a C.E.O. was the ability to manage my own psychology. Organizational design, process design, metrics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/by-far-the-most-difficult-skill-i-learned-as-a-c-e-o-was-the-ability/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“The hard thing is when those “great people” develop a sense of entitlement and start demanding unreasonable things. The hard thing isn’t setting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-hard-thing-is-when-those-great-people-develop-a-sense-of/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“As painful as it might be, I knew that we had to get into the broader market in order to understand it well enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/as-painful-as-it-might-be-i-knew-that-we-had-to-get-into-the-broader/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“On my grandfather’s tombstone, you will find his favorite Marx quote: “Life is struggle.” I believe that within that quote lies the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/on-my-grandfather-s-tombstone-you-will-find-his-favorite-marx-quote/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“Bill Campbell: "It's not about the money." Ben Horowitz: "What's it about, Bill?" Bill: "It's about the FUCKING money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/bill-campbell-it-s-not-about-the-money-ben-horowitz-what-s-it-about/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When the value of the company clearly has fallen below what its assets are worth, having a shareholder who says, 'Let's get a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-the-value-of-the-company-clearly-has-fallen-below-what-its/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [One person is never as stupid as a group of people. That's why they have lynch mobs, not lynch individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/one-person-is-never-as-stupid-as-a-group-of-people-that-s-why-they/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“out the right product is the innovator’s job, not the customer’s job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/out-the-right-product-is-the-innovator-s-job-not-the-customer-s-job/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [As companies move to web-based computing they get a lot more servers, which are difficult to manage and control. All kinds of problems can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/as-companies-move-to-web-based-computing-they-get-a-lot-more-servers/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [Breakthrough ideas usually come from guys who look like they're hallucinating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/breakthrough-ideas-usually-come-from-guys-who-look-like-they-re/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [When screening engineers from other companies, its smart to value engineers from great companies more than those from mediocre companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/when-screening-engineers-from-other-companies-its-smart-to-value/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“No matter who you are, you need two kinds of friends in your life. The first kind is one you can call when something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/no-matter-who-you-are-you-need-two-kinds-of-friends-in-your-life-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“The difference between being mediocre and magical is often the difference between letting people take creative risk and holding them too tightly accountable. Accountability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-difference-between-being-mediocre-and-magical-is-often-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/ben-horowitz/#itemlist", "name": "10 Knows Quotes By Ben Horowitz", "numberOfItems": 10, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you have never done the job, how do you know what to want?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-you-know-what-to-want/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/ben-horowitz-1791_do-you-know_if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-yo_951590.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/ben-horowitz-1791_do-you-know_if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-yo_951590.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/ben-horowitz-1791_do-you-know_if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-yo_951590.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you have never done the job, how do you know what to want?” — Ben Horowitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The key to high-quality communication is trust, and its hard to trust somebody that you dont know.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-key-to-high-quality-communication-is-trust-and-its-hard-to-trust/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/ben-horowitz-1791_communication_the-key-to-high-quality-communication-is_1132547.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/ben-horowitz-1791_communication_the-key-to-high-quality-communication-is_1132547.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/ben-horowitz-1791_communication_the-key-to-high-quality-communication-is_1132547.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The key to high-quality communication is trust, and its hard to trust somebody that you dont know.” — Ben Horowitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Your employees know each other better than they know you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/your-employees-know-each-other-better-than-they-know-you/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/ben-horowitz-1791_employee_your-employees-know-each-other-better-th_1223922.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/ben-horowitz-1791_employee_your-employees-know-each-other-better-th_1223922.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/ben-horowitz-1791_employee_your-employees-know-each-other-better-th_1223922.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Your employees know each other better than they know you.” — Ben Horowitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nobody knows how to be a CEO. 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So if that person leaves, they're going to go - well, should have I left too? What did they get and how does that compare to my deal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-person-they-re-working-with-is-going-to-be-the-person-they-ll/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/ben-horowitz-1791_compare_the-person-they-re-working-with-is-going_443448.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/ben-horowitz-1791_compare_the-person-they-re-working-with-is-going_443448.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/ben-horowitz-1791_compare_the-person-they-re-working-with-is-going_443448.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The person they're working with, is going to be the person they'll know more. 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They call it a vision when other people can see it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/you-know-what-the-difference-between-a-vision-and-a-hallucination-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ben-horowitz-1791_differences_you-know-what-the-difference-between-a-v_1058144.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ben-horowitz-1791_differences_you-know-what-the-difference-between-a-v_1058144.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ben-horowitz-1791_differences_you-know-what-the-difference-between-a-v_1058144.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know what the difference between a vision and a hallucination is? 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Remember, what you say at that meeting, that's their reputation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Horowitz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/the-right-thing-to-do-is-to-thank-them-for-their-work-let-people-know/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/ben-horowitz-1791_another-day_the-right-thing-to-do-is-to-thank-them-f_2407583.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/ben-horowitz-1791_another-day_the-right-thing-to-do-is-to-thank-them-f_2407583.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/ben-horowitz-1791_another-day_the-right-thing-to-do-is-to-thank-them-f_2407583.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The right thing to do is to thank them for their work, let people know that they're moving on, and ... you…” — Ben Horowitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/ben-horowitz/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/ben-horowitz/", "name": "Knows Quotes by Ben Horowitz", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/ben-horowitz/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/ben-horowitz-1791_do-you-know_if-you-have-never-done-the-job-how-do-yo_951590.png" }, "description": "10 Knows quotes by Ben Horowitz. 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