# Place good startup bets

DevFeed: [Place good startup bets](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/place-good-startup-bets-37633.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://swizec.com/blog/place-good-startup-bets>)

Author: hi@swizec.com (Swizec Teller)

Published: 2026-01-14T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Swizec Teller](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/swizec-teller.md>)

Topics: [scaling](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/scaling.md>), [Shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/shopify.md>), [Database](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/database.md>)

Tags: [core](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/core.md>), [equity](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/equity.md>), [sales](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sales.md>), [scaling](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/scaling.md>), [shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/shopify.md>)

## AI overview

The author reflects on career and startup decisions, including regretting that he declined Shopify before its IPO. He argues that good bets limit downside, preserve upside, and are evaluated using factors such as problem interest, market access and growth, market size, unfair advantage, and early traction.

## Source excerpt

You can't win every bet. Your goal is to be a little more right than wrong and keep playing