Mistake # 72: Can an ‘old’ company create a “start-up culture”?

MySpace is going to start conducting layoffs in an effort to get back to its “start-up culture.” MySpace is directly facing Facebook on gaining ground and members. MySpace is even being compared to—OMG!—AOL!! LOL!

If the site’s performance is relatively poor, how does cutting down staff to do the work going to make it a viable rival? It also claims it has more members in the US compared to Facebook, but do you know anyone who is still on MySpace?!

How does a company create a “start-up culture” within a company that has been around for awhile? Do you ask that people sleep under the desks at night after putting in twelve to sixteen-hour days?

I don’t think it can happen. A company loses its momentum for starting up after a certain period of time. It launched in August 2003. Nine years is a lifetime in the social networking world.

But, what do I know…