Start-ups can dance with elephants

In response to the Feb. 19 Perspectives column by Neal Goldman, "The challenge for start-ups":

Some of your points are right-on, but to make broad generalizations about the start-up and entrepreneurial markets is a mistake. Because of the massive changes in the technology base, I believe that this is the best time for entrepreneurs to look into start-ups.

The good start-ups know that they can't be an Oracle, a Microsoft, or a Cisco Systems overnight, and to suggest that start-ups are sentenced to only the dungeons of niche markets is ludicrous. Most start-ups have failed over the past few years simply because they just didn't do their homework. They didn't understand their markets, their value, or their technology niche; they didn't know how to enter the market, or how to execute a growth and competitive strategy plan that ensures a sustained and growing position. Start-ups can dance with elephants.

In addition, the notion that a start-up should design its business to be bought up by a larger company is as stupid as the hopes of entrepreneurs that expected their businesses to go public in eight months. Goldman makes a good point that this should not be their sole strategy. Those days are certainly over. Good companies get started because they have compelling and relevant ideas and want to build a big business. They get bought because they execute along that path from a seed growing into greatness.

John Furrier
Palo Alto, Calif.