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    Bob Parsons

    bobparsons.me · Personal blog · on HN since 2009

    Bob Parsons, GoDaddy's founder, shares business advice, his 16 rules for success, and stories about building the company.

    Visit blogHN submissions
    Business & StrategyStartupsCareer & Work
    What HN says

    HN commenters link it for his 16 rules and GoDaddy history, and consider his founder story worth reading for startup founders.

    Stats for nerds
    16HN people shared it
    7linked in comments
    95story points
    Jun 2014last shared
    2009people per year2014

    Top posts on HN

    1. 1
      GoDaddy CoFounder: Never give up (but be very quick to change).
      3 people · 81 points · first shared 2009 · 43 comments on HN
    2. 2
      How godaddy got its name (and logo)
      3 people · 9 points · first shared 2010 · 15 comments on HN
    3. 3
      This guy is shopping his business around for ~a billion dollars
      2 people · 2 points · first shared 2010 · 2 comments on HN
    4. 4
      5 things I wish I learned in Business School [video]
      1 person · 1 points · first shared 2010 · Discussion on HN
    5. 5
      How to build a mega-million dollar businesses from scratch
      1 person · 1 points · first shared 2009 · Discussion on HN
    6. 6
      16 Rules for Success
      1 person · 1 points · first shared 2011 · Discussion on HN
    7. 7
      Bp 16 rules
      2 people · first shared 2011
    8. 8
      Bp 16 rules
      1 person · first shared 2012
    9. 9
      Archive article
      1 person · first shared 2014
    10. 10
      Index
      1 person · first shared 2013

    What HN people wrote when they linked it

    • pmocekSep 2012

      GoDaddy's service is non-exceptional, their Web UI is clearly focused more on up-sales than on helping customers get work done, their [advertisements are sexist][1], their [attempts to police the Internet][2] are an affront to free speech, they [lobbied for the horrible SOPA until it appeared likely that continuing to do so would hurt their bottom line][3], and their [founder/former-CEO][4] is a hyperaggressive douchebag who [kills elephants for fun][5].

      References:

      [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GoDaddy.com#Marketing (Wikipedia: GoDaddy.com: Marketing)
      [2]: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2007/01/godaddy_defends/ ("GoDaddy Defends SecLists Takedown," Kevin Poulsen, January 25, 2007, Threat Level)
      [3]: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57349913-281/godaddy-bows-to-boycott-now-opposes-sopa-copyright-bill/ ("GoDaddy bows to boycott, now 'opposes' SOPA copyright bill," Declan McCullagh, December 29, 2011, CNET News)
      [4]: http://www.bobparsons.me (Bob Parsons)
      [5]: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/daddy-ceo-bob-parsons-africa-elephant-hunt-video/story?id=13279206#.UE5SZiNH92M ("Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons: Africa Elephant Hunt Video 'Nothing to Be Ashamed Of'," Susanna Kim and Michael S. James, April 2, 2011, ABC News)

    • tluyben2Sep 2012

      That depends on what 'hard' means; it's hard to take the step, not to actually do it. People are very scared and security seeking. I don't like the ex CEO of godaddy much, but 'security is for corpses' is definitely something he was right about. When you are born, you are almost dead. There is no reason to be so careful; I mean, don't drunk-drive or inject yourself with random stuff to get a maybe-high, but doing only stuff you like? Whats the harm in that? You're going to die if there is a mistake? No, you'll have a maybe temporary hard time. At least you did what you like. It's incredible what small amount of people actually do this. Most people agree with this though but they don't do because of BUNCH_OF_SECURITY_EXCUSES.

      Edit: I seem to have remembered the phrase from Bob Parsons incorrectly. It's "Security is for cadavers." (http://www.bobparsons.me/bp_16_rules.php). I hoped that it actually was from someone else :)

    • chaosmachineJun 2009

      Never give up and never surrender. The difference between failure and profitability can be as small as changing a few paragraphs on your sales page (it was in my case).

      Reduce your costs, and experiment as much as possible.

      The worst that can happen is you end up getting a day job.

      Bob Parsons (found of GoDaddy) has some pretty good advice in this area: http://www.bobparsons.me/SuccesskeyNevergiveupbutbeveryquicktochangeTurning15000into64millionKissing64milliongoodbye.html

    • a_bonoboFeb 2013

      Is Bob Parsons (the elephant hunting guy) still CEO of GoDaddy, like OP's link suggests?

      The guy's homepage says he's "only" executive chairman ([1]) but Wikipedia says he stepped down as CEO in 2011, citing this interview [2].

      [1] http://www.bobparsons.me/index.php

      [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/bob-parsons.html?_r=0

    • redsymbolJul 2011

      Congratulations to Bob Parsons. For those of you who don't know, he started as a relatively scrappy entrepreneur; glad to see what appears to be a great outcome for him here.

      If you're the founder of a startup, this is worth a few minutes of your time to read:

      http://www.bobparsons.me/bp_16_rules.php?ci=21428

    • aw3c2Jun 2011

      Even if it is the Wallstreet Journal, you better directly visit the source: http://www.bobparsons.me/bp_16_rules.php?ci=21428

      WSJ picked 10 of those 16 rules to make a fancy "top 10 list". Bah!

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