I believe you're referring to "Schlepp Blindness," a term coined by Paul Graham (often referred to as PG), a well-known entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and founder of Y Combinator. Schlepp Blindness is a concept discussed in his essays, particularly in the context of startup ideas and innovation.
What is Schlepp Blindness?
In his essay, Paul Graham describes "Schlepp Blindness" as the tendency of people to overlook or undervalue ideas that seem like a hassle (or "schlepp" in Yiddish, meaning something tedious or burdensome) to implement. These ideas are often dismissed because they appear too mundane, unglamorous, or difficult at first glance, even though they may solve real, significant problems.
Graham argues that many great startup ideas are hidden in plain sight because people are conditioned to ignore these "schleppy" problems. Founders often gravitate toward flashy or trendy ideas rather than addressing the gritty, less exciting issues that could create substantial value if solved.
Key Points from Paul Graham's Perspective:
- Underrated Opportunities: Schleppy problems often represent untapped opportunities because most people avoid them. Solving these can lead to defensible, niche businesses.
- Examples: Graham often cites examples like Stripe (which tackled the "schleppy" problem of online payments) to illustrate how addressing a tedious problem can lead to massive success.
- Mindset Shift: To overcome Schlepp Blindness, founders need to train themselves to notice and embrace problems that seem boring or hard, as these are less likely to have fierce competition.
Why It Matters for Founders:
If you're a startup founder or aspiring entrepreneur, Paul Graham's concept of Schlepp Blindness encourages you to:
- Look for problems that others are ignoring because they seem too mundane or challenging.
- Ask yourself: "What is something everyone complains about but no one fixes?"
- Be willing to dive into the less glamorous aspects of a problem to create something truly useful.
Relevant Essay by Paul Graham:
You can read more about this concept in Paul Graham's essay titled
"Schlep Blindness" (published on his website, paulgraham.com). In it, he dives deeper into how this mindset can help uncover great startup ideas.
If you meant something else by "schlep blind founder pg," feel free to clarify! I'm happy to assist.