<story><title>The Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Hustle</title><url>https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-forbes-30-under-30-hustle?pu=hackernews7r16e7&amp;utm_source=hackernews&amp;utm_medium=unlock</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>whatshisface</author><text>How do you &amp;quot;cash out&amp;quot; on brand building if your company isn&amp;#x27;t doing anything? Motivational speaking?</text></item><item><author>PragmaticPulp</author><text>I know two people on the “30 under 30” list. Both of them are incredibly charismatic and charming in person. Their Instagram and Twitter accounts churn out constant brand building material. They both have pseudo-startups with noble causes and vibrant websites. Their startups have a list of impressive advisers, including B-list senators and industry executives.&lt;p&gt;However, neither of them have made any progress on building an actual business. One of them has supposedly been developing the same simple product for almost 7 years now, but they’ve never been able to produce even a proof of concept prototype.&lt;p&gt;I thought I was missing something for the longest time, until I let go of the idea that they were really trying to build a company. They’re not. They’re building their personal brand, and succeeding wildly thanks to publications like the “30 under 30” list that have an insatiable appetite for underdog success stories.&lt;p&gt;Surely some of these companies are legitimately successful with great business models, but they’re mixed into these lists with the brand builders who know how to game the system. I’d be interested in reading an honest “Where are they now” follow up series that checks in with these founders at the 5-year mark after they make this list to see who the real successes are.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>Roritharr</author><text>Jumping into a high paying bullshit job, being on advisory boards, networking yourself into circles where your Rolodex becomes valuable that intro&amp;#x27;s from you can get you 70% into raising VC...&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#x27;ve seen quite a few of these people in my area and they disgust me every time, coming from a &amp;quot;work is only valuable if it&amp;#x27;s hard&amp;quot; work-ethic family.</text></comment>
<story><title>The Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Hustle</title><url>https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-forbes-30-under-30-hustle?pu=hackernews7r16e7&amp;utm_source=hackernews&amp;utm_medium=unlock</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>whatshisface</author><text>How do you &amp;quot;cash out&amp;quot; on brand building if your company isn&amp;#x27;t doing anything? Motivational speaking?</text></item><item><author>PragmaticPulp</author><text>I know two people on the “30 under 30” list. Both of them are incredibly charismatic and charming in person. Their Instagram and Twitter accounts churn out constant brand building material. They both have pseudo-startups with noble causes and vibrant websites. Their startups have a list of impressive advisers, including B-list senators and industry executives.&lt;p&gt;However, neither of them have made any progress on building an actual business. One of them has supposedly been developing the same simple product for almost 7 years now, but they’ve never been able to produce even a proof of concept prototype.&lt;p&gt;I thought I was missing something for the longest time, until I let go of the idea that they were really trying to build a company. They’re not. They’re building their personal brand, and succeeding wildly thanks to publications like the “30 under 30” list that have an insatiable appetite for underdog success stories.&lt;p&gt;Surely some of these companies are legitimately successful with great business models, but they’re mixed into these lists with the brand builders who know how to game the system. I’d be interested in reading an honest “Where are they now” follow up series that checks in with these founders at the 5-year mark after they make this list to see who the real successes are.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>knzhou</author><text>There is no &amp;quot;cashing out&amp;quot;, prestige seeking is just the result of a primitive drive. It&amp;#x27;s like asking how I&amp;#x27;m going to &amp;quot;cash out&amp;quot; all the french fries I&amp;#x27;m eating. I don&amp;#x27;t have any plan to, it just feels good to eat them.</text></comment>