FriendFeed Co-Founder, Paul Buchheit has taken the stage at Startup School at UC Berkeley. Buchheit is talking about what he’s learned so far as an entrepreneur, from creating Gmail to founding FriendFeed. Buchheit made some interesting points from his career at Intel, Google, FriendFeed and now Facebook. He’s also winging his presentation to see how it goes (and he’s doing a good job at it).
Buchheit talked about his past at Google, where he is of course known as being the creator of Gmail, as well as Intel. At Intel, Buchheit learned that he didn’t enjoy working at large companies. People often ask what’s the formula to startup success. Buchheit answered with that Google had a formula for making successful products that everyone had to follow.
Buchheit also mentioned that he left Google because “it seemed like a good idea.” He said the same thing for why FriendFeed sold to Facebook. Buchheit’s biggest learning experience from Facebook so far is that Facebook ins’t like Google.
Buchheit talked about college, and whether or not to go. He said that you have to pay for college, while if you have a startup, you get paid. Also, the formula of success — there is none. You have to figure it out yourself.
Paul Buchheit – Been at your job too long? QUIT! – Startup School 2009 from Alexa Lee on Vimeo.
Video by Alexa Lee
“Buchheit talked about college, and whether or not to go.”
That seems like dangerous advice. Sure, I know I say countless times that the stuff I do now, I could have done without a degree. Most of the CS concepts you learn are natural if you’ve grown up with computers.
However, when you consider the age . . . right out of highschool. Really sounds like a bad idea despite that my year book startup. The decisions I would have made out of high school would have been a disaster.
And another thing. If you’re talented, tons of colleges are willing to pay you to come. Also, don’t forget scholarships. This includes the tip top engineering schools too.
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Actually, I wasn’t suggesting that people not go to college — my point was simply that I learned more at Google, and that people should think about their jobs in an educational context (think about what you will learn instead of simply focusing on the pay).
+1
I agree with you Michael. People should not igonre school/ college, also education helps when you look for funding. If you have degree from MIT/ Stanford or IIT then it is much easer to raise money.
I think education is important, but not the key to running a successful business. If you have a startup that’s growing while still at school, by all means leave.
Education also helps letting you know some stuff you could apply to a startup or meeting co founders or just by making you aware of the tools out there. But then, college or no college depends on the personal history of every person. For me, it helped a little bit, not much though.
I think it’s mostly about proving to others in society that you are of that level, whether that’s getting a job, funding, respect whatever.
Also it was really fun.
It really depends on your personal focus. If your focus is to get rich, then leave and be an entrepreneur. If your aim is to be a University professor or a rocket scientist, hell no, don’t ever dare to leave the ivory tower!
From my perspective, there’s some bias towards overvaluing money. That’s not bad per se, but there’s a huge difference in this regard between American’s and let’s say Europeans. Or maybe between Europeans and the rest of the world, who knows.
“Buchheit talked about college, and whether or not to go.”
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance” – Derek Bok
It is no longer necessary to get a formal education at a university. Most, if not all, the information is already freely available on the ‘net. One does still need to be able to analyze and think critically, but that can and should be learned in high school. Bok’s lived in a different world.
Bok’s world was different.*
“Buchheit answered with that Google had a formula for making successful products that everyone had to follow”
formula ? which is?
“Buchheit also mentioned that he left Google because “it seemed like a good idea.” He said the same thing for why FriendFeed sold to Facebook. Buchheit’s biggest learning experience from Facebook so far is that Facebook ins’t like Google.”
Um, what?
“Buchheit talked about college, and whether or not to go…”
This seems to be an important issue for you Daniel…
my two Kobo is this: See school as much more that the academic work (classes and exam). That is just something to keep us busy while we do the more important thing like mixing with people having fun and learning from people.
Yes, there are a FEW people that have been successful “dropping pout” but from people like Steve Jobs, you see, most of them hang around campuses long after they should have left. There is no better place to test an idea than college campuses.
Cheers!
We interviewed Mr. Buchheit on CrazyEngineers. Check it out here: http://www.craz...nse-friendfeed/
“Buchheit talked about college, and whether or not to go.”
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance” – Derek Bok
College and education are two very different things.
The Gmail guy.
“Buchheit talked about his past at Google, where he is of course known as being the creator of Gmail, as well as Intel.”
Either he is known as being the creator of Intel, or this sentence structure is incorrect. I’m not saying that I can’t parse it to figure out what you meant, but I am saying that I shouldn’t have to.
the debate of going to college or not is a tired, long, debate.
however, his general advice, guidance, and his overall disposition of how he has approached and become successful with each of his ventures is one to note.
if i had just one of those successes in my endeavors, i’d be a joyous man.
take heed in free advice from a brilliant business man.
it depends on kind of education,
I am studying Aerospace Engineering at METU, and I hate this department, I hate the professors that want me to learn how to get grades from them, nothing else, I hate the students whose only aim is to have good grades, nothing else. None of them wants to change the world, none of them give a shit about any of the problems, they study all the time, and when they dont study they drink. so fucked up life they’re living. I dont think I can be useful at planes, and even if I can, I wont after this point. I want to study computer engineering, actually web engineering, but there is no such department. I cant switch departments because of stupid rules in the university. Educational system is so complicated, inefficient and stupid that makes people like paul right when they say just quit the fucking school.