I'm a big Seth Godin fan. You can see the signed #32 print of Purple Cow above. This print is probably my favorite bit of internet/tech swag.

Anyway, he wrote something tonight that really struck me as getting at the root of why so many software developers fail as founders. I've preached it for years, much of the earliest writing on this blog is about the topic. Yet, Seth being who he is is able to capture it more clearly than I ever have.

It's pretty clear that the design of the egg carton isn't going to change the flavor of the omelette. Except, of course, it does.

As software developers we want the best tech to win. The best features. The right UI. Yet so often, almost aways in fact, those things are not what make or break a company. It's your message, your pricing, the partnerships you make, the niche you target, a bit of marketing inspiration, website design, better docs, how the product makes you feel.

In short, the human element.