--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Startups can be the most conservative…" description: "\"Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the world. We spend so much energy nurturing our delicate egos against naysayers and self-doubt ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg" --- # Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the… ![“Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the world. We spend so much energy nurturing our delicate egos against naysayers and self-doubt that we can hardly admit mistakes. This is especially true of first-time CEOs.” quote by Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg) > “Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the world. We spend so much energy nurturing our delicate egos against naysayers and self-doubt that we can hardly admit mistakes. This is especially true of first-time CEOs.” [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Startups often act conservatively, protecting ego and avoiding admitting errors, especially first‑time CEOs. **In simple terms:** Startups protect ego and avoid admitting mistakes. Key Takeaway Recognize and address ego‑driven conservatism. Themes leadership ego startup culture decision‑making Mood anxious reflective Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - CEO onboarding - team retrospectives - mistake‑handling workshops Key Concepts psychology risk aversion growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How does ego influence your risk tolerance? - What steps can you take to admit mistakes openly? A Different Perspective Ego protection can stifle learning and innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit/) [Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceos/) [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Conservative Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative-organizations-1462004/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Startups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/startups/) [Startups Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/startups-conservative-1567569/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I wonder whether there has been too much emphasis on teaching women to conform, to fit into the system. Certainly that suits conservative organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosabeth-moss-kanter/i-wonder-whether-there-has-been-too-much-emphasis-on-teaching-women/) [Rosabeth Moss Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosabeth-moss-kanter/) > [Now my poor hometown is being castigated as the center of an IRS scandal. Humble workers at the Cincinnati office targeted Tea Party groups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/now-my-poor-hometown-is-being-castigated-as-the-center-of-an-irs/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [“Powell and others in the newly aggressive corporate vanguard inverted from a negative into a positive the accusation that conservative organizations were slanted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/powell-and-others-in-the-newly-aggressive-corporate-vanguard-inverted/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [When I look at founders and CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook and Brian Chesky at Airbnb and Sebastian Thrun at Udacity, these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/when-i-look-at-founders-and-ceos-like-mark-zuckerberg-at-facebook-and/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Most CEOs walk around the office like we own the place, without realizing that the place itself isn't worth owning: a business's value comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/most-ceos-walk-around-the-office-like-we-own-the-place-without/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [My attitude is there are at least hundreds of interesting startups that are going to get going in every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/my-attitude-is-there-are-at-least-hundreds-of-interesting-startups/) [David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/) > [“Amidst all the hype and hoopla around this business, I wanted to emphasize the challenge—it is seductive but the failure rate is very high.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahendra-ramsinghani/amidst-all-the-hype-and-hoopla-around-this-business-i-wanted-to/) [Mahendra Ramsinghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahendra-ramsinghani/) > [One thing I tell startups all the time is that the best way to grow is to make their product better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-thing-i-tell-startups-all-the-time-is-that-the-best-way-to-grow/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Cool innovation might happen in startups, but they often lack the resources or the deep expertise in the problems they want to address.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/cool-innovation-might-happen-in-startups-but-they-often-lack-the/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [“Chase the needs, and you are halfway to entrepreneurship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jagadish-varadharajan/chase-the-needs-and-you-are-halfway-to-entrepreneurship/) [Jagadish Varadharajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jagadish-varadharajan/) > [It's hard to tell with these Internet startups if they're really interested in building companies or if they're just interested in the money. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-hard-to-tell-with-these-internet-startups-if-they-re-really/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-thing-that-kills-startups-at-some-level-is-the-founders-giving-up/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [“Zen is not some fancy, special art of living. Our teaching is just to live, always in reality, in its exact sense. To make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/zen-is-not-some-fancy-special-art-of-living-our-teaching-is-just-to/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) ## More by Glenn Kelman > [If your values don't alienate anyone, it is just platitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/if-your-values-don-t-alienate-anyone-it-is-just-platitude/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Employers are as sensitive to housing costs as their employees, which is why, when we build more houses, we create more jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/employers-are-as-sensitive-to-housing-costs-as-their-employees-which/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [When my brother and I were 11, our father designed a 17-foot boat for sailing around the world. He'd never ventured more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/when-my-brother-and-i-were-11-our-father-designed-a-17-foot-boat-for/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [We don't need to take the world by storm. We just need to make our customers happy, and when we do that, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/we-don-t-need-to-take-the-world-by-storm-we-just-need-to-make-our/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I learned, even when all hell is breaking loose, first to take time to make my environment productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-learned-even-when-all-hell-is-breaking-loose-first-to-take-time-to/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Every firing happens differently except in this one respect: the person being fired can't believe how fast it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/every-firing-happens-differently-except-in-this-one-respect-the/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [People can smell a lack of respect from a mile away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/people-can-smell-a-lack-of-respect-from-a-mile-away/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Almost everything is interesting if you work at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/almost-everything-is-interesting-if-you-work-at-it/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I think the corporate world is pretty starved for personality. The reason you have comic strips like 'Dilbert' and sitcoms like 'The Office' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-think-the-corporate-world-is-pretty-starved-for-personality-the/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [It's easy to grow 300% in your first year or two, when you're starting with nothing and people first hear about your service. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/it-s-easy-to-grow-300-in-your-first-year-or-two-when-you-re-starting/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Most of the tech CEOs I know used to think that moving to the Midwest or the South was beneath us, a good tactic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/most-of-the-tech-ceos-i-know-used-to-think-that-moving-to-the-midwest/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I really admire the fact that whenever Marc Singer gets a call from someone running late, he says he's running late, too. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-really-admire-the-fact-that-whenever-marc-singer-gets-a-call-from/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [I learned that it's important to treat yourself like a work in progress, to think about how you can improve, to listen to feedback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-learned-that-it-s-important-to-treat-yourself-like-a-work-in/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [When I was 28, running products for a company I'd co-founded, the CEO called to say that I had a problem with the board,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/when-i-was-28-running-products-for-a-company-i-d-co-founded-the-ceo/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [We need to create technologies - and a culture of respect, and an updated legal doctrine, too - that allow creative folks to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/we-need-to-create-technologies-and-a-culture-of-respect-and-an/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) [Explore all 96 Glenn Kelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) ## More Admit quotes > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [I am not perfect by any means and ill be the first to admit I make plenty of mistakes but I wont make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-perfect-by-any-means-and-ill-be-the-first-to-admit-i-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-think-it-takes-a-lot-for-you-to-admit-you-made-a-mistake-and/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [I'll admit a little something: If I go to one of those hotels where there's, like, a $50 omelet, I'm taking the silverware home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-ll-admit-a-little-something-if-i-go-to-one-of-those-hotels-where/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [Most celebrities are not going to admit they had work done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nassif/most-celebrities-are-not-going-to-admit-they-had-work-done/) [Paul Nassif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nassif/) > [If you're in rock 'n' roll, you're not supposed to admit to liking theatre stuff, but I'm a big theatregoer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/if-you-re-in-rock-n-roll-you-re-not-supposed-to-admit-to-liking/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I love you. But I have no right to admit it to myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-snyder/i-love-you-but-i-have-no-right-to-admit-it-to-myself/) [Brittany\_Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-snyder/) > [There is something in me-I just can't stand to admit defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-is-something-in-me-i-just-can-t-stand-to-admit-defeat/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [My first exposure to sanitation issues occurred when I got admission into an engineering college. They probably didn't want to admit me and informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/my-first-exposure-to-sanitation-issues-occurred-when-i-got-admission/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [I have to admit that I get quite emotional listening to the amazing talent that exists in the New York subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-o-hare/i-have-to-admit-that-i-get-quite-emotional-listening-to-the-amazing/) [Lisa O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-o-hare/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I admit that I am very possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-admit-that-i-am-very-possessive/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [Some people need to grow up and learn how to admit when they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-need-to-grow-up-and-learn-how-to-admit-when-they-re-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 816 Admit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the world. We spend so much energy nurturing our delicate egos against naysayers and self-doubt that we can hardly admit mistakes. This is especially true of first-time CEOs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Kelman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-organizations-in-the-world-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-organizations-in-the-world-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc1/glenn-kelman-6951_admit_startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-or_2556369.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Startups can be the most conservative organizations in the world. We spend so much energy nurturing our…” — Glenn Kelman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Glenn Kelman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Startups can be the most conservative...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-organizations-in-the-world-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/startups-can-be-the-most-conservative-organizations-in-the-world-we/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```