--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For most software startups, this…" description: "\"For most software startups, this translates to keep growing. For hardware startups, it translates to don't let your ship date slip.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/sam-altman-1494_computers_for-most-software-startups-this-translat_1496364.png" --- # For most software startups, this translates to keep… ![“For most software startups, this translates to keep growing. For hardware startups, it translates to don't let your ship date slip.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/sam-altman-1494_computers_for-most-software-startups-this-translat_1496364.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/sam-altman-1494_computers_for-most-software-startups-this-translat_1496364.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/sam-altman-1494_computers_for-most-software-startups-this-translat_1496364.png) > “For most software startups, this translates to keep growing. For hardware startups, it translates to don't let your ship date slip.” [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Software startups must focus on growth; hardware startups must prioritize meeting launch deadlines. **In simple terms:** Software grows, hardware must ship on time. Key Takeaway Align strategy with product type. Themes startup strategy growth timeline Mood practical advisory Type business technical When to use this quote - product development - business planning - investor pitches Key Concepts software scaling hardware production deadline management Questions to Reflect On - How does growth differ across sectors? - What safeguards ensure hardware timelines? A Different Perspective Hardware delays can cripple funding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing Hardware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-hardware-5474599/) [Hardware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardware/) [Hardware Startups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardware-startups-5474597/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Ships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ships/) [Slips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slips/) [Software](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software/) [Software Startups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software-startups-4154369/) [Startups Translates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/startups-translates-5474598/) [Translate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translate/) [Translates Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translates-growing-5474602/) ## Related quotes > [My prior stint at 'Newsweek' was a very different world. 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One can work as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/what-makes-a-great-standalone-piece-of-hardware-is-not-the-same-thing/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [I see the world as a knowledge hardware story, and every day I'm just walking through the aisles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/i-see-the-world-as-a-knowledge-hardware-story-and-every-day-i-m-just/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [I use a laptop more as a tool, as sort of the central artery. 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In hardware if you screw it up you are dead. So accuracy really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/in-software-speed-to-market-speed-to-learning-is-really-key-in/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [While it is becoming increasingly obvious that the fundamental architecture of a system has a profound Influence on the quality of its human factors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-m-branscomb/while-it-is-becoming-increasingly-obvious-that-the-fundamental/) [Lewis M. Branscomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-m-branscomb/) > [Everything for us is a system. We don't think about it discretely as just as a piece of hardware, or discretely as an application...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosain-rahman/everything-for-us-is-a-system-we-don-t-think-about-it-discretely-as/) [Hosain Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosain-rahman/) > [ Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster. (Or, sometimes known by\] Grove \[the head of Intel\] giveth and Gates \[the head of Microsoft\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklaus-wirth/software-gets-slower-faster-than-hardware-gets-faster-or-sometimes/) [Niklaus Wirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklaus-wirth/) ## More by Sam Altman > [The best people know that they should join a rocketship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-best-people-know-that-they-should-join-a-rocketship/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You really want to know your cofounders for a while, ideally years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-really-want-to-know-your-cofounders-for-a-while-ideally-years/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Employees will only add more value over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/employees-will-only-add-more-value-over-time/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [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/) > [A winning team feels good and keeps winning. A team that hasn't won in a while gets demotivated and keeps losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/a-winning-team-feels-good-and-keeps-winning-a-team-that-hasn-t-won-in/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You're either not hiring at all or it's probably your single biggest block of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-re-either-not-hiring-at-all-or-it-s-probably-your-single-biggest/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [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/) > [Execution gets divided into two key questions: 1) can you figure out what to do and 2) can you get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/execution-gets-divided-into-two-key-questions-1-can-you-figure-out/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [If you want something in a deal, just ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-want-something-in-a-deal-just-ask-for-it/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Most things are not as risky as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-things-are-not-as-risky-as-they-seem/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [I prefer to invest in a company that's going after a small but rapidly growing market than a big but slow growing one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/i-prefer-to-invest-in-a-company-that-s-going-after-a-small-but/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [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/) > [One of the biggest advantages that start ups have is execution speed and you have to have this relentless operating rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-biggest-advantages-that-start-ups-have-is-execution-speed/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One of the keys to focus, and why I said cofounders that aren't friends really struggle, is that you can't be focused without good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-keys-to-focus-and-why-i-said-cofounders-that-aren-t/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Startups are very hard no matter what you do; you may as well go after a big opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-very-hard-no-matter-what-you-do-you-may-as-well-go-after/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) [Explore all 235 Sam Altman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. 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Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. 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No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? 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