How to launch a start-up and lose everything else along the way

http://marcanthonyrosa.com/jump-right-in-how-to-launch-a-start-up-and-lo

13 10 15 years ago

sequoia• 15 years ago

Respectfully, what is the point of this article? I got about halfway thru and I had to stop. There are too many frivolous jokes etc. with not enough actual content to keep me going.

Edit (I did not make an edit, I'm issuing a directive :p). Does it need to be as long as it is? I'm sure you've got some good experiences to share but it's lost in the in the foam.

danso• 15 years ago

OK...I skimmed through that first part about two times trying to find out what the startup was and exactly what its idea was. Ideally, the first part of a 3-part series would have that info a little easier to find, but more importantly, some in-depth reflection on why you thought the idea justified making the jump to startup venture.

mdda• 15 years ago

TL;DR: Startup entrepreneur gets swept up into the startup process, with a promising young company. Parents are less caught up in startup frenzy, and feel that they're also part of the education vs. startup decision. Family wins. Best of luck to the remaining team. The entrepreneurial spirit lives on...

econnors• 15 years ago

Unlike some others, I liked the article a lot.

Sure, it wasn't very concise, but I thought it was a great story regarding start-up life and the sacrifices that accompany it.

garethsprice• 15 years ago

Shows how important family support is when building a company.

Not knowing about the VC process, what's the implications for the investor in this - were you not on the hook to deliver? Is the investor not upset that you bailed because your parents ordered you back to school?

rgyure• 15 years ago

While the investor incurs some liability for a situation like this, it's important to build a solid team from day one. A business will soon become bigger than any one person and be able to continue and thrive.

marcanthonyrosa2• 15 years ago

Agreed. A company is not one person, and if it is, something is wrong with the company.

marcanthonyrosa2• 15 years ago

It was a lose-lose situation once the parents became definitive.

Ultimately, our investor took the long-term view on this situation. Hopefully, I'm going to be doing this for years, so take the hit now and finish everything up.

Lose-lose nonetheless.

Thanks for all of your comments.

alanhoskins• 15 years ago

I read it all and found it interesting, but it saddens me to see that his parent's love is conditional. They should've supported their son instead of "removing him from the family" if he didn't return to school.

Best of luck to you Marc and hopefully your parents support you on your next venture.

kfalter• 15 years ago

family is definitely the most important thing... and without family support is is incredibly hard to start something. best of luck Marc -- you know I'm rooting for you and your love of starting something great

How to launch a start-up and lose everything else along the way

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