Problem solving in startups
Last night was the Oscars. A few weeks ago, Emily and I watched The Martian. It’s a good film and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic big motion picture stories. There’s a great scene at the very end where astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon,…
Continue readingOptionality
Through the life of a startup, from the earliest days through scaling the business, the more options available to a founder the better. I saw this firsthand in my time at Answers.com, Sphere and Outbrain. It was also true for us at Aol (though that wasn’t technically a…
Continue readingThe temptation of distraction
The New York Times published a terrific profile of Adele this Sunday discussing her new album. Adele is at the top of the music industry right now, but seems as authentic and grounded as ever (or otherwise, her PR team is doing a bang-up job). It’s this authenticity that…
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Without customers, there's no money
I rode with an Uber driver to the airport last night. The driver told me he drove a NYC taxi for 16 years before switching to Uber 12 months ago. When I asked why he switched, he explained that driving a taxi was stressful and Uber provides a better quality…
Continue readingNYC: Technology Rising
There’s been a lot of focus recently on the macro economy, sub-prime debt exposure and a recessionary or even depressive economic outlook. A quiet, but growing sub-plot though on a micro level, is what this means for the technology industry in New York City. So far this year,…
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