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What no one talks about when running and selling a business

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Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#111

Post by HiroshiSan »

dang wrote: post #109
HiroshiSan wrote: post #102

Geeze...as I finished reading this essay I thought to myself "wow that was great, I'm glad he could share that...I wonder what the comments have to add" and the answer is...absolutely nothing. You're all a bitter bunch.

Maybe look again? The comments in this thread are mixed. Some are dismissive or defensive in their own right but others (quite a few actually) have thoughtful responses and several people have posted their own similar/contrasting experiences.

I was being a bit ironic but you're right. I wonder what life circumstances make two different people read the same essay and come away with completely different feelings about it.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#112

Post by [deleted] »

nugget wrote: post #22
GoRudy wrote: post #4

I also sold my startup. same story as far as revenue, exit etc. I'm not sure that selling your company was the reason for your social issues. I've had the best year of my life post acquisition - spending more time with family, friends and thinking what's next. constantly thinking about what's next, it's actually annoying that I can't turn it off. The "how much did you make" question is super annoying and it happens b…

I think this was a pretty shallow article. The author comes off as somewhat abrasive personality-wise. He's a natural born leader - we are reassured multiple times - but he seems to repeatedly annoy people in his life and can't figure out how to get 3 or 4 band-mates to follow him. OK. A lot of the money troubles are more about wealth inequality than anything specific to the startup world. When you're wealthy, you ne…

[deleted]

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#113

Post by vinceguidry »

hackits wrote: post #20
smaili wrote: post #9

Unfortunately, I no longer have very many friends. I worked so hard in my 20s and early 30s that I let my closest relationships lapse in the name of making money. It’s tough to keep friends around when you’re either working, or work is on your mind 24/7. One of the unfortunate side effects of hustle/grit/what have you, that I myself experienced and can relate to the author.

ammmm, if your friendship requires constant hand holding then I would say it would better to lose them faster (early on) because they're not going to be around when you hit the hard times. My definition of a friend is someone you can rely on when things goes to shit eg... Being half way across the country and you've just been robbed and they drive 20 hours to pick you up. Now if they cannot even meet you half way acr…

I've been that friend, and I have to say, people that have those kinds of problems tend to have them over and over again. Not being that kind of friend cuts those kinds of people out of your life, and that's a net plus.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#114

Post by nitrogen »

AznHisoka wrote: post #66
ImTalking wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would suggest you turn on the 6pm daily news.

I actually know the answer but asked because i am curious how the well mannered, well spoken, well known OP would respond :)

Not the OP, but the imposed guilt for nonconformance to sometimes arbitrary norms can be quite destructive as well.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#115

Post by Aeolun »

ben_jones wrote: post #64
ladytron wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Founders don't start companies to live a "pretty good life in the top 10%". We do it because we are ambitious, want to solve huge technical and business problems, make our mark, and change the world. We usually have more energy and sleep less than others. We love work. We love our business. Most of us would not want to be corporate "drones". It would be like a living death.

I fear most entrepreneurs really do care about leaving a mark. Any mark. Ad tech companies? Big data (selling) companies? Marketing (convince the consumer to buy something excessive) companies? LinkedIn and other companies that intentionally force dark patterns on their users? Security companies selling spyware and hacking tools to anyone who'll pay? The world could do with fewer of those marks IMO.

I'm confident most entrepreneurs care about leaving a good mark. It's just that people that are intent on leaving a bad mark, any mark, generally have an easier time of it.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#116

Post by battlebot »

dang wrote: post #109
HiroshiSan wrote: post #102

Geeze...as I finished reading this essay I thought to myself "wow that was great, I'm glad he could share that...I wonder what the comments have to add" and the answer is...absolutely nothing. You're all a bitter bunch.

Maybe look again? The comments in this thread are mixed. Some are dismissive or defensive in their own right but others (quite a few actually) have thoughtful responses and several people have posted their own similar/contrasting experiences.

Well the whole article came off as a humble brag, so there's that.

He should just start collecting Porsches or flying airplanes or something. Jeez.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#117

Post by battlebot »

hoodoof wrote: post #92

I think if I got rich then I'd think very carefully about whether or not I wanted anyone else to know.

Yeah, well, here's the thing about that: If you don't explain your lifestyle to some people most just assume you're a broke bum, which is very annoying after awhile. I'm actually going to find some job to do because I can't stand sitting at home and I don't have quite enough money to be fully retired at 43 but it's like --->.<--- that close.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#118

Post by paulsutter »

nstart wrote: post #87
paulsutter wrote: post #16

The brutally honest truth about this guy is that he's an insecure prick who loves boasting > Only 0.4% of all businesses make it to $10M in annual revenue. We made it almost halfway through...When I sold my startup, we had 100 people working with us. > Unfortunately, I no longer have very many friends... > ...Tesla...$300 pairs of jeans, $450 pairs of boots, concrete countertops...trips to New Zealand no longer bothe…

Just want to point out that you could be a bit more sensitive. You've recognized the author's insecurities. Pointing them out in this thread in this manner is something that one should consider whether it would do more harm than good. On the other side of the screen might be the author who is reading your comment and a bunch of other comments calling him out on his insecurities and then piling on. You do not want to…

The original title of the submission was "the brutally honest truth about selling your company", and I went with the brutally honest theme.

To be honest I'm surprised it got 46 upvotes.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#119

Post by dang »

battlebot wrote: post #116
dang wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe look again? The comments in this thread are mixed. Some are dismissive or defensive in their own right but others (quite a few actually) have thoughtful responses and several people have posted their own similar/contrasting experiences.

Well the whole article came off as a humble brag, so there's that. He should just start collecting Porsches or flying airplanes or something. Jeez.

Can't say I agree. I think the commenters taking that tack are maybe adding a filter or two of their own to what the author is saying and being reactive to the less interesting parts of the article. That leads to a somewhat boring, if also exciting, round-of-denunciation sort of thread. (Boring-plus-exciting is the alcohol-plus-amphetamines of internet forums.)

They're also ignoring the ways the author is already piling on himself. I think that's a shallow reading and a bit harsh. The common trope in our culture is for the rest of us to become hostile when someone with money goes on about their problems ('what's he got to complain about?'). I get why, but it's an oversimplifying reflex that doesn't breed good discussion. Human lives are complex things.

IMO the more interesting parts of the article have to do with tradeoffs and unintended consequences. Doing what it takes to achieve a goal, including a socially laudable/enviable goal, can leave you stuck and/or damaged in other ways. These dynamics are more interesting than just seeing someone as 'an asshole'.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#120

Post by espeed »

phaed wrote: post #95
espeed wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Repent" properly translated means metanoia , the journey of changing one's mind, heart, self or way of life. It's the journey that converges towards love and truth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metanoia_(theology)

That is quite contrived, off with you!

In what way? Maybe you're missing the context from the now-flagged top-level comment.
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