In the early stage of a startup, hiring senior people is usually a mistake. You just want people that get stuff done. — Sam Altman Done Copy Share Image
You also want to fire people who a) create office politics, and b) who are persistently negative. — Sam Altman Fire Copy Share Image
If you ever take your foot off the gas pedal, things will spiral out of control, snowball downwards. — Sam Altman Feet Copy Share Image
The track record for founders that don't already know each other is really bad. — Sam Altman Entrepreneurship Copy Share Image
Another way of looking at this, is that the best companies are almost always mission oriented. — Sam Altman Another way Copy Share Image
If you compromise and hire someone mediocre you will always regret it. — Sam Altman Compromise Copy Share Image
1 of the hardest parts about being a founder, is that there are a 100 important things competing for your attention each day. — Sam Altman Attention Copy Share Image
Here's a good rule of thumb: don't worry about a competitor at all, until they're actually beating you with a real shipped… — Sam Altman Competitors Copy Share Image
If it takes more than a sentence to explain what you are doing, it's almost always a sign that what you are… — Sam Altman Complicated Copy Share Image
You need someone that behaves like James Bond more than you need someone that is an expert in some particular domain. — Sam Altman Behave Copy Share Image
The way to have a company that executes well is you have to execute well yourself. — Sam Altman Business Copy Share Image
You also really want to take the time to think about how the market is going to evolve.You need a market that's… — Sam Altman Bigs Copy Share Image
Most great companies in tech have been built by personal referrals for the first...at least 100 employees and often many more. — Sam Altman Built Copy Share Image
Founders are usually very stingy with equity to employees and very generous with equity to investors. I think this is totally backwards. — Sam Altman Backwards Copy Share Image
In general don't start a startup you're not willing to work on for ten years. — Sam Altman Entrepreneurship Copy Share Image
Aim to be the best in the world at whatever you do professionally. Even if you miss, you'll probably end up in… — Sam Altman Aim Copy Share Image
I myself used to believe ideas didn't matter that much, but I'm very sure that's wrong now. — Sam Altman Believe Copy Share Image
Companies that I've been very involved with, that have had a very bad first hire in the first 3 or so employees… — Sam Altman Company Copy Share Image
No growth hack, brilliant marketing idea, or sales team can save you long term if you don't have a sufficiently good product. — Sam Altman Brilliant Copy Share Image
I care much more about the growth rate of the market than it's current size and I also care if there's any… — Sam Altman Care Copy Share Image
Keep salaries low and equity high. Keep the organization as flat as you can. — Sam Altman Equity Copy Share Image
Before product/market fit, your only job that matters is to build a great product. — Sam Altman Fit Copy Share Image
