Startup Communities, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER SIXCLASSICAL PROBLEMS

As I travel around talking to entrepreneurs about their startup communities, I've heard a consistent set of complaints and have run into similar problems over and over again. Some of these problems are deep rooted and difficult to address in the short term; others require a simple behavior change. In this chapter, I'll discuss a number of these classical problems along with suggestions about what you can do about them.

THE PATRIARCH PROBLEM

The first of the classical problems that stall progress in a startup community is the patriarch problem. In moments of frustration, I call this the old‐white‐guy problem. At its core, it's one of the key challenges of a hierarchical organizational model, one in which the most powerful people are the ones at the top of the hierarchy. In many cities, especially in the United States, these patriarchs are the old white guys who made their money many years ago but still run the show.

If you observe robust startup communities over a long period of time, they don't exhibit this problem. Silicon Valley is a shining example of this. With each new generation, there is a new wave of leaders. Although there are constant debates about whether Silicon Valley is a meritocracy or biased against women and minorities, there is no question that the leaders of yesterday encourage and embrace the leaders of tomorrow, mentor them, and comfortably make room for them in the ecosystem.

I started my first company in Boston when I was ...