paul graham seems to think that it's because startups will sell out and then end up being smothered in bureaucracy.
definitely I think this is true - when the founders are in a tired state, perhaps dipped in hope and no longer focused on the true prize - changing the world. They turn to the easy out - get paid and get out.
I wonder if this is also true for the ideas that Google itself has bought - it seems that those companies as well have not done well either.
That essay was written in response to this posting, How to Fix Venture Capital. This article touches on my previous posts regarding the idea of selling out and letting others call the shots, or really setting on yourself in pursuing true change. Once you take someone else's money, it becomes their game.
Well, back to work .
Friday, April 18, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
happy 1 year
Officially we are 1 year old, having incorporated last year on the 4th.
Evidently we're not the only ones having a birthday today, Happy Birthday to the Bill Gates and Paul Allen Micro-Soft Partnership.
No, we didn't plan that.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
yelp? say it ain't so!
Today I checked my inbox and scanned through my usual Yelp digest email. To my shock and horror, I saw:
You haven't really lived here until you've been to the places that give Silicon Valley its local flavor. That's why you turn to Yelp - to find out about the best of the best and exactly how we keep it real in the Bay Area. Santana Row is our favorite place to start off a perfect day.Mia N regularly frequents The Row, "where everyone can find something" to do. Fashionistas like Cristina I flock toH&M when they want to make a unique statement, but Jason T breaks out of suburbia at Urban Outfitters - he likes their duds so much he likens it to a "cute, bohemian chic girl" he'd marry. After all that shopping, you'll be sure to have worked up an appetite! Looking for a sure thing? Kathy T "steaks" her claim at Claim Jumper, a saloon of sorts that has "yummy food and a great place to come with a large group of people or even on a date." At The Old Spaghetti Factory, Camille R has "never been disappointed" with the "spaghetti with marinara sauce and a side of mizithra cheese." It's also worth noting that this factory doesn't use child labor, either. Forget OzzFest, Lobsterfest at Red Lobster is here! Seafood lover Rinne R was glad she didn't miss out on it last year, and we're sure you won't want to miss out on this year's irresistible menu either. If you're craving some turf with your surf,Geomar R recommends Sizzler's succulent "Big Appetite Combo, which includes steak, shrimp, ribs, and a baked potato;" he also reminds us not to forget their salad bar, which is "actually one of the best in town." Sounds health-tastic to us, Geomar!Archie R loves to "chow" down on all the authentic Chinese food at Mr. Chau's, where they "serve so much food in one container that it requires a rubber band to contain all of their wonderful creations." Miss your family? Do like Mary A and head to Italian eatery Olive Garden, and even if you don't want to hang out with Tony, Junior and Paulie, how can you resist "unlimited salad and breadsticks!" And we certainly know Tam H has no problem finishing his and his girlfriend's "gargantuan full slab" of baby back ribs at Tony Roma's; with 35 years of business under his belt, Mr. Roma proves that great taste never goes out of style. Like so many Yelp foodies, Maritel C appreciates culinary innovations. Taco Bell/Pizza Hut does it best by fusing both Italian and Mexican delicacies, offering a late-night drive-thru as well. Now that's thinking outside the slice - the only thing missing from the culinary United Nations is a bucket of fried chicken and a root beer to wash it down...
-----
every link underlined there is a big box / corporate run identity. Nothing local, nothing mom and pop.
I am all for walmart and lower costs of goods and services through scale efficiencies, but there is something beautiful and wonderful as well in being a patron of your local shops. If a business is well run, then yes it can survive in the face of the Goliath corporations, but there is more than just costs involved when you get down to it.
When you find someone who's poured their life into doing what they do, vs a large corporation that shoulders most of the risk and involvement, paying out minimum (not always a living) wage to employees to robotically sell goods and services, it's frequently better to pay a premium for these things.
Not all things are worth paying premiums for - toilet paper is going to be toilet paper whether I buy it from a local independent supermarket, vs a big box. But things like a good butcher, a hardware store owner, a car parts retailer, dry cleaner, and definitely restaurants, are all small scale operations that offer value far beyond just the price tag. By choosing these establishments you reap the benefits and rewards of experience and wisdom that can only come through a passion that causes them to open their own shops, and a faith that they can make a business through them better than some corporation.
They also have their own networks of professionals that can be tapped for further guidance and wisdom. For example, my mechanic works out of a 76 station from which he rents space. I take my car to him not because he has the lowest prices, but because I know he's got experience, and will give me a straight price. He's not there to feed a corporate bottom line, he does it because he loves working on cars. When I took my CRX to him to have an Integra Type R intake manifold attached to my Honda Del Sol JDM block, it's an operation definitely not in any manual, but I paid him for was his long time experience and that of his friends who do know how to monkey on those things. If I had gone to a dealer (heaven forbid), I would have been turned away as it's not a stock modification. And no way I would take it to a speedy-lube-in-a-jiffy type place where they have no experience dealing with such things.
It's great to talk to a butcher and tell them what you're making and let them pick out the best piece or cut for your dish. A shank with a bit more bone for stew flavor, a more marbled cut and a wine recommendation. Try that at Safeway with the guys behind the counter.
How many times have the Geek Squad called you up after they fixed your computer to check if everything is ok? Have they ever emailed you to let you know you could download a patch or tried to just fix things for you over the phone? Their object is just to get you in the shop and bill you for as many hours as you will let them. (And search your hard drive for mp3s, movies, and pr0n to copy).
Why does this happen? Because they're not invested in the business. They have no need to act honorably, someone already reaps the rewards of their hard work. And that person is out playing golf at the moment.
---
So back to Yelp.
I love Yelp, my wife loves Yelp, and because our baby is on the breastmilk right now, he seems to love Yelp.
And it's an obviously easy way to monetize once you get to a decent size, but I don't think it's really fair. Yelp is supposed to be review based democrazy - you rise to the top based on your performance. In this case, you rise to the top if you pay them money, which I find troubling to say the least.
I guess my message to them is: Come on guys, you have an enormous amount of user data, preferential information, and reviews, you CAN do better than that, otherwise you're no better than the Yellow Pages.
--------------------------OK Yelp, you've totally sold out ----------------
I've excerpted Mia N's review and highlighted what was taken out of context from her post.
Love/Hate relationship with this place! I find myself coming here too much.All depends on when you go, your company, and who you meet!It's a place where everyone can find something (or someone..harhar) to do.Crazy night with the girls? Straits, Vbar, Rosie's, Blowfish. Bonus: cute bartender at Straits. Another bonus: potential hookup. I kid.
-------------
Is it because you couldn't find any positive reviews about Santana Row that Yelp had to edit this post? I'll be analyzing the next post with a fine tooth comb.
You haven't really lived here until you've been to the places that give Silicon Valley its local flavor. That's why you turn to Yelp - to find out about the best of the best and exactly how we keep it real in the Bay Area. Santana Row is our favorite place to start off a perfect day.Mia N regularly frequents The Row, "where everyone can find something" to do. Fashionistas like Cristina I flock toH&M when they want to make a unique statement, but Jason T breaks out of suburbia at Urban Outfitters - he likes their duds so much he likens it to a "cute, bohemian chic girl" he'd marry. After all that shopping, you'll be sure to have worked up an appetite! Looking for a sure thing? Kathy T "steaks" her claim at Claim Jumper, a saloon of sorts that has "yummy food and a great place to come with a large group of people or even on a date." At The Old Spaghetti Factory, Camille R has "never been disappointed" with the "spaghetti with marinara sauce and a side of mizithra cheese." It's also worth noting that this factory doesn't use child labor, either. Forget OzzFest, Lobsterfest at Red Lobster is here! Seafood lover Rinne R was glad she didn't miss out on it last year, and we're sure you won't want to miss out on this year's irresistible menu either. If you're craving some turf with your surf,Geomar R recommends Sizzler's succulent "Big Appetite Combo, which includes steak, shrimp, ribs, and a baked potato;" he also reminds us not to forget their salad bar, which is "actually one of the best in town." Sounds health-tastic to us, Geomar!Archie R loves to "chow" down on all the authentic Chinese food at Mr. Chau's, where they "serve so much food in one container that it requires a rubber band to contain all of their wonderful creations." Miss your family? Do like Mary A and head to Italian eatery Olive Garden, and even if you don't want to hang out with Tony, Junior and Paulie, how can you resist "unlimited salad and breadsticks!" And we certainly know Tam H has no problem finishing his and his girlfriend's "gargantuan full slab" of baby back ribs at Tony Roma's; with 35 years of business under his belt, Mr. Roma proves that great taste never goes out of style. Like so many Yelp foodies, Maritel C appreciates culinary innovations. Taco Bell/Pizza Hut does it best by fusing both Italian and Mexican delicacies, offering a late-night drive-thru as well. Now that's thinking outside the slice - the only thing missing from the culinary United Nations is a bucket of fried chicken and a root beer to wash it down...
-----
every link underlined there is a big box / corporate run identity. Nothing local, nothing mom and pop.
I am all for walmart and lower costs of goods and services through scale efficiencies, but there is something beautiful and wonderful as well in being a patron of your local shops. If a business is well run, then yes it can survive in the face of the Goliath corporations, but there is more than just costs involved when you get down to it.
When you find someone who's poured their life into doing what they do, vs a large corporation that shoulders most of the risk and involvement, paying out minimum (not always a living) wage to employees to robotically sell goods and services, it's frequently better to pay a premium for these things.
Not all things are worth paying premiums for - toilet paper is going to be toilet paper whether I buy it from a local independent supermarket, vs a big box. But things like a good butcher, a hardware store owner, a car parts retailer, dry cleaner, and definitely restaurants, are all small scale operations that offer value far beyond just the price tag. By choosing these establishments you reap the benefits and rewards of experience and wisdom that can only come through a passion that causes them to open their own shops, and a faith that they can make a business through them better than some corporation.
They also have their own networks of professionals that can be tapped for further guidance and wisdom. For example, my mechanic works out of a 76 station from which he rents space. I take my car to him not because he has the lowest prices, but because I know he's got experience, and will give me a straight price. He's not there to feed a corporate bottom line, he does it because he loves working on cars. When I took my CRX to him to have an Integra Type R intake manifold attached to my Honda Del Sol JDM block, it's an operation definitely not in any manual, but I paid him for was his long time experience and that of his friends who do know how to monkey on those things. If I had gone to a dealer (heaven forbid), I would have been turned away as it's not a stock modification. And no way I would take it to a speedy-lube-in-a-jiffy type place where they have no experience dealing with such things.
It's great to talk to a butcher and tell them what you're making and let them pick out the best piece or cut for your dish. A shank with a bit more bone for stew flavor, a more marbled cut and a wine recommendation. Try that at Safeway with the guys behind the counter.
How many times have the Geek Squad called you up after they fixed your computer to check if everything is ok? Have they ever emailed you to let you know you could download a patch or tried to just fix things for you over the phone? Their object is just to get you in the shop and bill you for as many hours as you will let them. (And search your hard drive for mp3s, movies, and pr0n to copy).
Why does this happen? Because they're not invested in the business. They have no need to act honorably, someone already reaps the rewards of their hard work. And that person is out playing golf at the moment.
---
So back to Yelp.
I love Yelp, my wife loves Yelp, and because our baby is on the breastmilk right now, he seems to love Yelp.
And it's an obviously easy way to monetize once you get to a decent size, but I don't think it's really fair. Yelp is supposed to be review based democrazy - you rise to the top based on your performance. In this case, you rise to the top if you pay them money, which I find troubling to say the least.
I guess my message to them is: Come on guys, you have an enormous amount of user data, preferential information, and reviews, you CAN do better than that, otherwise you're no better than the Yellow Pages.
--------------------------OK Yelp, you've totally sold out ----------------
I've excerpted Mia N's review and highlighted what was taken out of context from her post.
Love/Hate relationship with this place! I find myself coming here too much.All depends on when you go, your company, and who you meet!It's a place where everyone can find something (or someone..harhar) to do.Crazy night with the girls? Straits, Vbar, Rosie's, Blowfish. Bonus: cute bartender at Straits. Another bonus: potential hookup. I kid.
-------------
Is it because you couldn't find any positive reviews about Santana Row that Yelp had to edit this post? I'll be analyzing the next post with a fine tooth comb.
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