--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to make money at some point…" description: "\"“If you want to make money at some point, remember this, because this is one of the reasons startups win. Big companies want to decrease the standard d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/paul-graham-7010_entrepreneurs_if-you-want-to-make-money-at-some-point_1646257.jpg" --- # If you want to make money at some point, remember this… ![“If you want to make money at some point, remember this, because this is one of the reasons startups win. Big companies want to decrease the standard deviation of design outcomes because they want to avoid disasters. But when you damp oscillations, you lose the high points as well as the low. This…” quote by Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/paul-graham-7010_entrepreneurs_if-you-want-to-make-money-at-some-point_1646257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/paul-graham-7010_entrepreneurs_if-you-want-to-make-money-at-some-point_1646257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/paul-graham-7010_entrepreneurs_if-you-want-to-make-money-at-some-point_1646257.jpg) > ““If you want to make money at some point, remember this, because this is one of the reasons startups win. Big companies want to decrease the standard deviation of design outcomes because they want to avoid disasters. But when you damp oscillations, you lose the high points as well as the low. This is not a problem for big companies, because they don't win by making great products. Big companies win by sucking less than other big companies.” - “The place to fight design wars is in new markets, where no one has yet managed to establish any fortifications. That's where you can win big by taking the bold approach to design, and having the same people both design and implement the product. Microsoft themselves did this at the start. So did Apple. And Hewlett- Packard. I suspect almost every successful startup has.” - “Great software, likewise, requires a fanatical devotion to beauty. If you look inside good software, you find that parts no one is ever supposed to see are beautiful too.” - “The right way to collaborate, I think, is to divide projects into sharply defined modules, each with a definite owner, and with interfaces between them that are as carefully designed and, if possible, as articulated as programming languages. Like painting, most software is intended for a human audience. And so hackers, like painters, must have empathy to do really great work. You have to be able to see things from the user's point of view.” - “It turns out that looking at things from other people's point of view is practically the secret of success.” - “Part of what software has to do is explain itself. So to write good software you have to understand how little users understand. They're going to walk up to the software with no preparation, and it had better do what they guess it will, because they're not going to read the manual.”” [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Startups succeed by embracing risk and bold design, unlike big firms that seek to minimize variance and avoid disaster. **In simple terms:** Startups win by taking big, risky design moves; big companies play it safe. Key Takeaway Embrace bold design and risk to create standout products. Themes risk design innovation competition startup big companies Mood ambitious strategic reflective Type philosophical inspirational practical When to use this quote - launching a new product - entering a new market - designing user‑centric software - structuring collaborative teams Key Concepts variance reduction design markets market entry user empathy software clarity Questions to Reflect On - How can a startup balance risk with sustainable growth? - What design choices can differentiate a product in a crowded market? A Different Perspective Big companies can dominate by incremental improvements, making it hard for startups to sustain advantage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-companies/) [Entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurs/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Programming languages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming-languages/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Secret of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-of-success/) [Startups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/startups/) ## Related quotes > [“If you want to make money at some point, remember this, because this is one of the reasons startups win. Big companies want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-you-want-to-make-money-at-some-point-remember-this-because-this-is-2/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [Startups often win because it's easier to see what comes next when you don't have to worry about maintaining what came last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/startups-often-win-because-it-s-easier-to-see-what-comes-next-when/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [“And the reason everyone doesn’t use Listp is that programming languages are not merely technologies, but habits of mind as well, and nothing changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/and-the-reason-everyone-doesn-t-use-listp-is-that-programming/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [You need to ask yourself, ‘Where do you want to work: startups, mid-size or large companies?’ If you find yourself debating the ‘startup versus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-blank/you-need-to-ask-yourself-where-do-you-want-to-work-startups-mid-size/) [Steve Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-blank/) > [I hear my own daughters talking about big companies polluting the environment, and then I realise they are talking about companies of which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-nooyi/i-hear-my-own-daughters-talking-about-big-companies-polluting-the/) [Indra Nooyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-nooyi/) > [They have a policy in China for their big companies called "Go abroad." It's a rational thing for both the company and the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/they-have-a-policy-in-china-for-their-big-companies-called-go-abroad/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [The shining star in the world is Shanghai. That's what CEOs from big companies say - 'if I want mathematical analytical work done, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-rosling/the-shining-star-in-the-world-is-shanghai-that-s-what-ceos-from-big/) [Hans Rosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-rosling/) > [I never imagined I'd be working with government, or military or politicians or big companies. None of this stuff I'm doing was on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/i-never-imagined-i-d-be-working-with-government-or-military-or/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [In the increasingly digital world, data is a valuable currency, yet as consumers, we control and own little of it. As consumers, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/in-the-increasingly-digital-world-data-is-a-valuable-currency-yet-as/) [William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/) > [I don't think you're going to have one bank. Big companies aren't going to give us all their business. So they can pick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-have-one-bank-big-companies-aren-t/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Be creative. Innovate consistently on the little things that the big companies ignore. Little things often make big differences in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/be-creative-innovate-consistently-on-the-little-things-that-the-big/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I started noticing a lot of big companies are bored with ads; they feel sort of lost in the advertising world. They're not into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-mcinnes/i-started-noticing-a-lot-of-big-companies-are-bored-with-ads-they/) [Gavin McInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-mcinnes/) > [Whatever vocation you decide on, track down the best people in the world at doing it and surround yourself with them. Aim high and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/whatever-vocation-you-decide-on-track-down-the-best-people-in-the/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) > [In the commercial world, big companies mostly die within a few decades because they cannot maintain an internal system to keep them aligned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/in-the-commercial-world-big-companies-mostly-die-within-a-few-decades/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [Most big companies don't like you very much, except hotels, airlines and Microsoft, which don't like you at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/most-big-companies-don-t-like-you-very-much-except-hotels-airlines/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) ## More by Paul Graham > [“I'm not saying there's no such thing as genius. But if you're trying to choose between two theories and one gives you an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-m-not-saying-there-s-no-such-thing-as-genius-but-if-you-re-trying/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“This is a good plan for life in general. If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide whether to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/this-is-a-good-plan-for-life-in-general-if-you-have-two-choices/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“When I was a kid I was constantly being told to look at things from someone else’s point of view. What this always meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-constantly-being-told-to-look-at-things-from/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [You know your business model is broken when you're suing your customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/you-know-your-business-model-is-broken-when-you-re-suing-your/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Hackers are unruly. That is the essence of hacking. And it is also the essence of Americanness. It is no accident that Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/hackers-are-unruly-that-is-the-essence-of-hacking-and-it-is-also-the/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“We often like to think of World War II as a triumph of freedom over totalitarianism. We conveniently forget that the Soviet Union was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/we-often-like-to-think-of-world-war-ii-as-a-triumph-of-freedom-over/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [It's hard to say exactly what it is about face-to-face contact that makes deals happen, but whatever it is, it hasn't yet been duplicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/it-s-hard-to-say-exactly-what-it-is-about-face-to-face-contact-that/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [One startup I dream of funding is the one that kills the record companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/one-startup-i-dream-of-funding-is-the-one-that-kills-the-record/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“It’s easier to get people to fight for an idea. And whichever side wins, their ideas will also be considered to have triumphed, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/it-s-easier-to-get-people-to-fight-for-an-idea-and-whichever-side/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Could civil liberties really be a cause, rather than just an effect? I think so. I think a society in which people can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/could-civil-liberties-really-be-a-cause-rather-than-just-an-effect-i/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“A great programmer, on a roll, could create a million dollars worth of wealth in a couple weeks. A mediocre programmer over the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-great-programmer-on-a-roll-could-create-a-million-dollars-worth-of/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [We don't have to go that far to sell our beer because our immediate accounts sell so much. Places that sold 10 cases before,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/we-don-t-have-to-go-that-far-to-sell-our-beer-because-our-immediate/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [I get a lot of criticism for telling founders to focus first on making something great, instead of worrying about how to make money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-get-a-lot-of-criticism-for-telling-founders-to-focus-first-on/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“So the optimal plan, if you can manage it, is to have a few trusted friends you can speak openly to. This is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/so-the-optimal-plan-if-you-can-manage-it-is-to-have-a-few-trusted/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Public school teachers are in much the same position as prison wardens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/public-school-teachers-are-in-much-the-same-position-as-prison-wardens/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) [Explore all 94 Paul Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## More Big companies quotes > [Most big companies don't like you very much, except hotels, airlines and Microsoft, which don't like you at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/most-big-companies-don-t-like-you-very-much-except-hotels-airlines/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [In the commercial world, big companies mostly die within a few decades because they cannot maintain an internal system to keep them aligned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/in-the-commercial-world-big-companies-mostly-die-within-a-few-decades/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [Whatever vocation you decide on, track down the best people in the world at doing it and surround yourself with them. Aim high and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/whatever-vocation-you-decide-on-track-down-the-best-people-in-the/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) > [I started noticing a lot of big companies are bored with ads; they feel sort of lost in the advertising world. They're not into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-mcinnes/i-started-noticing-a-lot-of-big-companies-are-bored-with-ads-they/) [Gavin McInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-mcinnes/) > [Be creative. Innovate consistently on the little things that the big companies ignore. Little things often make big differences in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/be-creative-innovate-consistently-on-the-little-things-that-the-big/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I don't think you're going to have one bank. Big companies aren't going to give us all their business. So they can pick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-have-one-bank-big-companies-aren-t/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [In the increasingly digital world, data is a valuable currency, yet as consumers, we control and own little of it. As consumers, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/in-the-increasingly-digital-world-data-is-a-valuable-currency-yet-as/) [William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/) > [I never imagined I'd be working with government, or military or politicians or big companies. None of this stuff I'm doing was on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/i-never-imagined-i-d-be-working-with-government-or-military-or/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [The shining star in the world is Shanghai. That's what CEOs from big companies say - 'if I want mathematical analytical work done, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-rosling/the-shining-star-in-the-world-is-shanghai-that-s-what-ceos-from-big/) [Hans Rosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-rosling/) > [They have a policy in China for their big companies called "Go abroad." It's a rational thing for both the company and the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/they-have-a-policy-in-china-for-their-big-companies-called-go-abroad/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I hear my own daughters talking about big companies polluting the environment, and then I realise they are talking about companies of which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-nooyi/i-hear-my-own-daughters-talking-about-big-companies-polluting-the/) [Indra Nooyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-nooyi/) > [You need to ask yourself, ‘Where do you want to work: startups, mid-size or large companies?’ If you find yourself debating the ‘startup versus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-blank/you-need-to-ask-yourself-where-do-you-want-to-work-startups-mid-size/) [Steve Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-blank/) > [I suspect there's a lot of validity to the premise that big companies aren't going to attract entrepreneurial talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-williams/i-suspect-there-s-a-lot-of-validity-to-the-premise-that-big-companies/) [Evan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-williams/) > [“If you’re struggling to get into big companies, you probably have a weak value proposition. Pure and simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-konrath/if-you-re-struggling-to-get-into-big-companies-you-probably-have-a/) [Jill Konrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-konrath/) > [Before I started my company in 1998, I worked for big companies traveling a lot and saw firsthand how much waste there was. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/before-i-started-my-company-in-1998-i-worked-for-big-companies/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) [Browse all 124 Big companies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-companies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you want to make money at some point, remember this, because this is one of the reasons startups win. Big companies want to decrease the standard deviation of design outcomes because they want to avoid disasters. But when you damp oscillations, you lose the high points as well as the low. This is not a problem for big companies, because they don't win by making great products. Big companies win by sucking less than other big companies.” - “The place to fight design wars is in new markets, where no one has yet managed to establish any fortifications. That's where you can win big by taking the bold approach to design, and having the same people both design and implement the product. Microsoft themselves did this at the start. So did Apple. And Hewlett- Packard. I suspect almost every successful startup has.” - “Great software, likewise, requires a fanatical devotion to beauty. If you look inside good software, you find that parts no one is ever supposed to see are beautiful too.” - “The right way to collaborate, I think, is to divide projects into sharply defined modules, each with a definite owner, and with interfaces between them that are as carefully designed and, if possible, as articulated as programming languages. Like painting, most software is intended for a human audience. And so hackers, like painters, must have empathy to do really great work. You have to be able to see things from the user's point of view.” - “It turns out that looking at things from other people's point of view is practically the secret of success.” - “Part of what software has to do is explain itself. So to write good software you have to understand how little users understand. 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