Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Than any silly idea can be a business model. Suppose I collect dust from my attic and hope to sell it as an add-on on my neighbor's lemonade stand, with a hefty profit for the neighbor, who is getting paid by me $10 to add a handful of dust in each glass and sell it to the customers for $1. The neighbor accepts. It's a business model, at least until I don't run of existing funds or the last customer leaves in disguist. At which point exactly that silly idea stops being an unsustainable business model and becomes a silly idea? I guess at least as early as I see that the funds are running up, and I need to borrow larger an larger lumps of money each time to keep spinning the wheel...



> Than any silly idea can be a business model.

Indeed it can. The difference between a business model and a viable business model is one word - viable.

If you asked me 18 years ago was "giving away a video game and selling cosmetics" a viable business model I would have laughed at you.If you asked me in 2019 I would probably give you money. If you asked me in 2025, I'd probably laugh at you again.

> and I need to borrow larger an larger lumps of money each time to keep spinning the wheel...

Or you figure out a way to to sell it to your neighbour for $0.50 and he can sell it on for $1.

The play is clear at every level - Nvidia Sell GPUs, OpenAI sell models, and SAAS sell prompts + UI's. Whether or not any of them are viable remains to be seen. Personally, I wouldn't take the bet.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2025 batch! Applications are open till May 13

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: