Opposable Thumbs

So, those of you who know me (and who reads this site who doesn't anyway?), probably have heard me go on about starting my own company. I keep saying that I'm going to do it one day, but so far that day has yet to come. And, honestly, I think it's still a ways off. But that doesn't stop me from planning and thinking about it. Today was one of those days where I found myself thinking about it even more than usual. Coincidentally, it was also a day where I found two really great essays/posts on the subject. First up is Paul Graham's How to Start a Startup. Graham describes the insights he distilled from his years building Viaweb (which was eventually acquired by Yahoo). There's a lot of really great suggestions in this piece, but what struck me most was the idea of doing it all for as little money as possible. I know this sounds like common sense to most, but having seen how a handful of business operate (I can't claim to understand any more than those for which I have been employed -- and even those only slightly), it doesn't appear to be the general approach. There's always the push to hire more people or start some new marketing campaign. Anyway, good stuff... Then, I see that Kottke is talking about the businesses that influence his perspective. He sites a number of role models that I already have, but adds a few that I think are worth checking out: Craig Newmark, founder of Craig's List; Coudal Partners, a design firm in Chicago; and David Bull, a fabulous artist who creates woodblock prints and sells them online. Good reading and good material for thought.