Alex Blumberg set out to do a podcast about the real trials of creating a company. His unfair advantages made Startup Podcast just another startup myth.
I’m a podcast fan. I’ve been a listener since I got my first iPod in 2005. Much of what I have listened to has been Alex Blumberg’s work including hundreds of hours of his previous shows—This American Life, Planet Money and now the first season of his new podcast, StartUp. I’m going to listen to the whole StartUp Podcast series, and I recommend you do too. But after the first season I feel as though we should pause and reflect upon his goal and whether or not he achieved it. Because I feel that while the podcast maintains humility, admits flubs and has a great narrative voice, we’re led astray from the very first episode. Blumberg has huge advantages over the majority startup founders. Investors call these “Unfair Advantages”— and they are an entrepreneur’s super powers.
Because Blumberg is unaware of his super powers the story he tells perpetuates existing startup myths and limits the lessons budding entrepreneurs can and must learn.
Continue reading The Failure of StartUp Podcast, and What You Should Really Learn.
