“We are just too focused and too well aligned,” said no employee ever. - Auren Hoffman

great recruits are either high alpha, low beta.
High alpha means high, compounding impact/returns. Low beta means low risk and volatility. As an investor or employer, you want both—but they rarely coexist. High-return assets usually come with higher volatility, while low-volatility assets tend to deliver lower returns.
Big companies optimize for recruiting low beta people: predictable, repeatable outcomes with minimal volatility. Start-ups are more likely to focus on spiky high-alpha people.

things rich people do not want you to know: they live like 10% more than average

optimism is a form of positive leverage