How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition • Hacker News Board

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#11

Post by jules » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:31 PM UTC

jordanmessina wrote: post #4

Preezo sounds like it was built to be acquired from day one. I think that mindset makes it a lot more difficult to deal with missed opportunities and can really make the entire experience of building a product unenjoyable. This is probably why so many people suggest building something you want instead of what you think others will want; at least you can enjoy the fruits of your labor in the process.

And because building something people want instead of what you think some company wants makes you less dependent on a lottery and more dependent on your own skills.

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#12

Post by jayro » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:32 PM UTC

jordanmessina wrote: post #4

Preezo sounds like it was built to be acquired from day one. I think that mindset makes it a lot more difficult to deal with missed opportunities and can really make the entire experience of building a product unenjoyable. This is probably why so many people suggest building something you want instead of what you think others will want; at least you can enjoy the fruits of your labor in the process.

You're absolutely correct. I started to write about my lessons learned and "don't build to flip" was one of them, but the article started to get a bit long. I'll summarize the lessons learned from Preezo in another article as there are a lot ... unfortunately. ;)

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#13

Post by rokhayakebe » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:32 PM UTC

joshu wrote: post #10

Another one I learned that pops up in this tale: get on the plane if the meeting is important.

That was my first thought. If you get a call from these guys, you tell them "I'll be in town next week, when would you like to meet for 20 minutes?"

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#14

Post by jlees » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:33 PM UTC

One thing I have learnt since joining Google: everyone inside Google is always infernally busy.

I'm British, so my concepts of bothering people, being a nuisance, and being impolite are already vastly out of skew with the American work culture -- I've had to relearn a lot of that behaviour since coming to the USA and Google.

IMO it's not really specifically a Google thing. I think the lesson to be learned from this post (and as a founder, I'm wincing along with you jayro) is simple: when dealing with a big company, keep yourself in the radar or you'll vanish altogether.

But please don't be too crazy or in your face. I administered Summer of Code for our open source project this year, and one very keen applicant kept IMing me for status updates. Unfortunately, he was based in India, and so this meant my phone buzzing at 3am. Suffice it to say (and for mostly unrelated reasons), he didn't get accepted.

Be sensitive, be fresh, be relevant, be interesting.

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#15

Post by seltzered » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:34 PM UTC

I would say the problem is that you divulged technical details before getting a written "intent to acquire" from google.

While keeping the line of communication is important, it's also important to ensure it's worth your time.

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#16

Post by jayro » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:39 PM UTC

Maro wrote: post #2

I don't have any relevant experience, but this sounds odd. If the product was good (better than Zenter), than why didn't they acquire Preezo at that later point in time?

I think (and this is just speculation) that they may have already developed a lot of similar technology in-house in addition to the Zenter acquisition. By the time I got around to contacting them again they probably just didn't need it anymore.

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#17

Post by kenjackson » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:46 PM UTC

jayro wrote: post #9

kenjackson wrote: post #6

Jonathan Rochelle repeated wryly and with a smile, "Yes, time to go. Google is here," WTF? Is Google the mob or something? Almost seems like the next line should have been, "And I was never seen or heard from again."

No, Jonathan Rochelle was a really nice guy. I think he just knew that that demo was going to be a big deal for me and that it was probably something I had been hoping and waiting for. He was right.

No, I didn't mean to imply that he wasn't. Just the phrasing seemed particularly sinister, although certainly unintentional, but still funny... at least to me.

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#18

Post by psnj » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:51 PM UTC

I used to work at OT when Glazer was there, and I attended a workshop once where he gave a talk. Very impressive guy -- I remember thinking "I want to work for the company that guy's working for!"

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#19

Post by zandorg » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:52 PM UTC

I (a UK developer) just dealt with a company who were interested in my Pretext software, which finds text in images. I rang at 2PM their time when I rang, and when his development committee finally rejected me after a month of waiting, he said "You have written very capable and useful software - however, we want to develop in-house", I was polite and said goodbye, etc.

Everything to gain. Nothing lost but a couple transatlantic phone calls.

Re: How I Screwed Up My Google Acquisition

#20

Post by zephjc » Wed, Dec 08, 2010, 7:59 PM UTC

kenjackson wrote: post #17

jayro wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, Jonathan Rochelle was a really nice guy. I think he just knew that that demo was going to be a big deal for me and that it was probably something I had been hoping and waiting for. He was right.

No, I didn't mean to imply that he wasn't. Just the phrasing seemed particularly sinister, although certainly unintentional, but still funny... at least to me.

I read it in a condescending tone like "Yes, the big boys are here, time to do your dog and pony show"