Scott D. Witt
@scottdwitt.bsky.social
Serial Cofounder, CXO, adviser, IC.
Helping startups to succeed by doing what most don't.
"Start with the customer, and work back"
#SoCalVenturePipeline
(same '@' on X)
Helping startups to succeed by doing what most don't.
"Start with the customer, and work back"
#SoCalVenturePipeline
(same '@' on X)
Great pictures
captures the power of Warrior's bow.
excellent detail on her running rigging
captures the power of Warrior's bow.
excellent detail on her running rigging
December 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Great pictures
captures the power of Warrior's bow.
excellent detail on her running rigging
captures the power of Warrior's bow.
excellent detail on her running rigging
Great points in the thread about checking the AI.
Using AI to define your quality control process requires very serious quality control of the AI's output.
"Close enough, isn't"
Using AI to define your quality control process requires very serious quality control of the AI's output.
"Close enough, isn't"
December 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Great points in the thread about checking the AI.
Using AI to define your quality control process requires very serious quality control of the AI's output.
"Close enough, isn't"
Using AI to define your quality control process requires very serious quality control of the AI's output.
"Close enough, isn't"
Reposted by Scott D. Witt
At the moment I’m of the opinion that writing tests might be the worst use case for AI. Unless you’re ensuring that the tests fail for a useful reason of course! Tests that only pass are worse than no tests at all.
December 21, 2025 at 1:24 AM
At the moment I’m of the opinion that writing tests might be the worst use case for AI. Unless you’re ensuring that the tests fail for a useful reason of course! Tests that only pass are worse than no tests at all.
Reposted by Scott D. Witt
Maybe not in your case but I have a feeling that this use of AI is going to lead to some subtle production bugs in the future. It's easier to write good tests than review tests written by an AI.
December 21, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Maybe not in your case but I have a feeling that this use of AI is going to lead to some subtle production bugs in the future. It's easier to write good tests than review tests written by an AI.
How has this changed your productivity?
eg:
More output, same quality
Same output, less time
More creative output, same time
etc.
eg:
More output, same quality
Same output, less time
More creative output, same time
etc.
December 21, 2025 at 7:14 PM
How has this changed your productivity?
eg:
More output, same quality
Same output, less time
More creative output, same time
etc.
eg:
More output, same quality
Same output, less time
More creative output, same time
etc.
A powerful reminder for when you're leading teams and setting the tone!
December 21, 2025 at 7:12 PM
A powerful reminder for when you're leading teams and setting the tone!
from Doonesbury, mid 90's
I was working in Mountain View CA (Netscape was across the street) and this was a pervasive vibe/expectation, especially among the bosses (who spent *their* weekends at beach homes in Santa Cruz).
In our case, much of our lives was burned by our boss' poor management habits
I was working in Mountain View CA (Netscape was across the street) and this was a pervasive vibe/expectation, especially among the bosses (who spent *their* weekends at beach homes in Santa Cruz).
In our case, much of our lives was burned by our boss' poor management habits
December 21, 2025 at 7:11 PM
from Doonesbury, mid 90's
I was working in Mountain View CA (Netscape was across the street) and this was a pervasive vibe/expectation, especially among the bosses (who spent *their* weekends at beach homes in Santa Cruz).
In our case, much of our lives was burned by our boss' poor management habits
I was working in Mountain View CA (Netscape was across the street) and this was a pervasive vibe/expectation, especially among the bosses (who spent *their* weekends at beach homes in Santa Cruz).
In our case, much of our lives was burned by our boss' poor management habits
Bad News: they're not getting paid to just write code ("the funnest thing there is")
Because this new work is so unfamiliar, it's not surprising they feel a bit overwhelmed.
Because this new work is so unfamiliar, it's not surprising they feel a bit overwhelmed.
December 20, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Bad News: they're not getting paid to just write code ("the funnest thing there is")
Because this new work is so unfamiliar, it's not surprising they feel a bit overwhelmed.
Because this new work is so unfamiliar, it's not surprising they feel a bit overwhelmed.
An entry-level CS grad would start working on relatively easy coding tasks.
If LLMs create that code it's likely they're expected to do lots of non-coding work—potentially diverse and unfamiliar to a novice CSer—which may feel like "many jobs"
Good News: getting broad valuable experience
1/
If LLMs create that code it's likely they're expected to do lots of non-coding work—potentially diverse and unfamiliar to a novice CSer—which may feel like "many jobs"
Good News: getting broad valuable experience
1/
December 20, 2025 at 9:08 PM
An entry-level CS grad would start working on relatively easy coding tasks.
If LLMs create that code it's likely they're expected to do lots of non-coding work—potentially diverse and unfamiliar to a novice CSer—which may feel like "many jobs"
Good News: getting broad valuable experience
1/
If LLMs create that code it's likely they're expected to do lots of non-coding work—potentially diverse and unfamiliar to a novice CSer—which may feel like "many jobs"
Good News: getting broad valuable experience
1/
Indeed.
Recipes are Zero to One,
on a scale of One Hundred points!
Recipes are Zero to One,
on a scale of One Hundred points!
December 4, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Indeed.
Recipes are Zero to One,
on a scale of One Hundred points!
Recipes are Zero to One,
on a scale of One Hundred points!
The Beginner's Mind, applied to interviewing!
"Beginner’s Mind doesn’t mean negating experience;
it means keeping an open mind
on how to apply our experience to each new circumstance."
- Mary Jaksch
"Beginner’s Mind doesn’t mean negating experience;
it means keeping an open mind
on how to apply our experience to each new circumstance."
- Mary Jaksch
November 23, 2025 at 1:33 AM
The Beginner's Mind, applied to interviewing!
"Beginner’s Mind doesn’t mean negating experience;
it means keeping an open mind
on how to apply our experience to each new circumstance."
- Mary Jaksch
"Beginner’s Mind doesn’t mean negating experience;
it means keeping an open mind
on how to apply our experience to each new circumstance."
- Mary Jaksch
Infrastructure will be another challenge in the States.
Japan is much smaller physically and vastly more focused on quality food ingredients.
Hope they succeed!
Japan is much smaller physically and vastly more focused on quality food ingredients.
Hope they succeed!
September 13, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Infrastructure will be another challenge in the States.
Japan is much smaller physically and vastly more focused on quality food ingredients.
Hope they succeed!
Japan is much smaller physically and vastly more focused on quality food ingredients.
Hope they succeed!
A great example of challenging an accepted assumption!
But aligning new products with consumer tastes won't happen overnight.
How patient will parentCo be as they find/create a new convenience food market/culture?
But aligning new products with consumer tastes won't happen overnight.
How patient will parentCo be as they find/create a new convenience food market/culture?
September 13, 2025 at 8:04 PM
A great example of challenging an accepted assumption!
But aligning new products with consumer tastes won't happen overnight.
How patient will parentCo be as they find/create a new convenience food market/culture?
But aligning new products with consumer tastes won't happen overnight.
How patient will parentCo be as they find/create a new convenience food market/culture?
reminds me of:
"Reality is for people who can't handle drugs"
"Reality is for people who can't handle drugs"
September 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM
reminds me of:
"Reality is for people who can't handle drugs"
"Reality is for people who can't handle drugs"
I thought he was just using Ernie Ball Extra Chunky strings
September 12, 2025 at 3:57 AM
I thought he was just using Ernie Ball Extra Chunky strings
They're out there!
In my late teens I played with a frighteningly good 13-year old guitarist who could play anything at any speed.
"Phil, slow down" was our standard request
We had to sneak him into bar gigs, but once he plugged-in, no one asked about his age.
In my late teens I played with a frighteningly good 13-year old guitarist who could play anything at any speed.
"Phil, slow down" was our standard request
We had to sneak him into bar gigs, but once he plugged-in, no one asked about his age.
September 12, 2025 at 3:55 AM
They're out there!
In my late teens I played with a frighteningly good 13-year old guitarist who could play anything at any speed.
"Phil, slow down" was our standard request
We had to sneak him into bar gigs, but once he plugged-in, no one asked about his age.
In my late teens I played with a frighteningly good 13-year old guitarist who could play anything at any speed.
"Phil, slow down" was our standard request
We had to sneak him into bar gigs, but once he plugged-in, no one asked about his age.
Wasn't Lee Smolin writing about some of these problems, ~20 years ago?
September 12, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Wasn't Lee Smolin writing about some of these problems, ~20 years ago?
The mindless following of recipes is a huge problem in the startup and innovation world.
One's ability to follow a particular recipe, with a purchased certificate, seems to be far more valuable than years/decades of creatively applying the underlying ideas/skills to achieve valuable outcomes.
One's ability to follow a particular recipe, with a purchased certificate, seems to be far more valuable than years/decades of creatively applying the underlying ideas/skills to achieve valuable outcomes.
September 11, 2025 at 9:36 PM
The mindless following of recipes is a huge problem in the startup and innovation world.
One's ability to follow a particular recipe, with a purchased certificate, seems to be far more valuable than years/decades of creatively applying the underlying ideas/skills to achieve valuable outcomes.
One's ability to follow a particular recipe, with a purchased certificate, seems to be far more valuable than years/decades of creatively applying the underlying ideas/skills to achieve valuable outcomes.
Lots of dodgy, but unquestioned, practices for annualizing instantaneous sales.
The lack of pushback may be an indication of the frothiness of the current bubble
The lack of pushback may be an indication of the frothiness of the current bubble
September 10, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Lots of dodgy, but unquestioned, practices for annualizing instantaneous sales.
The lack of pushback may be an indication of the frothiness of the current bubble
The lack of pushback may be an indication of the frothiness of the current bubble
This is the definition of 'market segmentation'
September 10, 2025 at 10:07 PM
This is the definition of 'market segmentation'
For some, 'guide' still implies control or constraint that can become dogmatic:
This, not That.
Here, not There.
To my eye, it's more about knowing various approaches for achieving an outcome, with the *mindset* and ability to recognize patterns for applying them and assessing their effectiveness.
This, not That.
Here, not There.
To my eye, it's more about knowing various approaches for achieving an outcome, with the *mindset* and ability to recognize patterns for applying them and assessing their effectiveness.
September 10, 2025 at 10:03 PM
For some, 'guide' still implies control or constraint that can become dogmatic:
This, not That.
Here, not There.
To my eye, it's more about knowing various approaches for achieving an outcome, with the *mindset* and ability to recognize patterns for applying them and assessing their effectiveness.
This, not That.
Here, not There.
To my eye, it's more about knowing various approaches for achieving an outcome, with the *mindset* and ability to recognize patterns for applying them and assessing their effectiveness.
Or perhaps the old approach to French Cuisine:
THIS is how you make this dish.
Conversely, Japanese Tradition assumes that its practitioners will learn from experience and express their creativity in new ways, while maintaining the spirit of the tradition.
THIS is how you make this dish.
Conversely, Japanese Tradition assumes that its practitioners will learn from experience and express their creativity in new ways, while maintaining the spirit of the tradition.
September 10, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Or perhaps the old approach to French Cuisine:
THIS is how you make this dish.
Conversely, Japanese Tradition assumes that its practitioners will learn from experience and express their creativity in new ways, while maintaining the spirit of the tradition.
THIS is how you make this dish.
Conversely, Japanese Tradition assumes that its practitioners will learn from experience and express their creativity in new ways, while maintaining the spirit of the tradition.