Leaving Answers.com, heading to Black Rock City
I haven’t been blogging much the past two weeks, but that doesn’t mean there’s any lack of stuff happening. In fact, frequency of blog posts is often inversely correlated to activity in my life. This is something I hope to correct in the near future as blogging becomes more a part of my routine.
To summarize the past few weeks, I’ve decided to leave Answers.com after a truly enriching and educational year there. I’m in the midst of formally declaring my next move….kind of like a presidential candidate forming an exploration committee before he/she declares their candidacy. A former colleague and I have formed just such an exploration committee to research the viability of launching a business that we’re both excited about. I can’t reveal the details just yet, but there’s likely much more to come in this dept.
In the meantime, I’m blogging via cell phone from Reno on my way to Black Rock City for a week of Burning Man. There’s nothing quite like the renewing effects of Burning Man to end one chapter a your life and begin another. See you on the flipside.
A just penalty for Michael Vick
A friend and I were discussing the Michael Vick situation recently and came up with a solution that we think is more viable and just. Instead of sending him to jail in the peak of his career and earning potential, while his millions in investments sit earning interest, make him play. Make him play and fine him 100% of his earnings to go towards ASPCA. Also have him donate many hours of community service to ASPCA. This sentence would contribute millions of dollars to an organization that needs it and sets out to protect the very animals that Michael Vick abused. It certainly would be more helpful in correcting his wrongdoing than sending him to prison, squandering millions that could be put to a beneficial use. I hope the judge in the case considers a more creative sentence than the typical prison term, which does very little good in a situation like this.
Published in NY Daily News…
I never imagined that my Vespa purchase would bring me such quick fame, but alas…. Josh Max, auto correspondent at NY Daily News, published this article on Wednesday discussing the popularity of Vespa’s in the city and highlighted the aforementioned free parking promotion that Piaggio USA put together, Vespanomics. I’m featured in the last paragraph. Sadly (for NY Daily News), the article is nowhere to be found online.
Etsy - the coolest, funkiest startup in NYC Brooklyn
Last Wednesday, I visited Etsy Labs in Brooklyn for their Wednesday Tea. I was the only one who showed up so I got a lot of attention and some quality 1-v-1 time with a bunch of the Etsy staffers. Thanks to Michelle, Danielle and Sarah for showing me around. I had heard a lot about these guys and had to go check them out for myself. Etsy is a unique startup. They help crafts-workers promote and sell their goods - like a fixed price eBay tailored specifically for crafts. Artists setup unique online storefronts to sell their goods and Etsy helps promote the whole package. As Rob Kalin, Etsy’s founder and CEO, recently wrote in a long post on the company’s blog, their mission is to enable people to make a living making things. Check out their site at Etsy.com - there are all kinds of cool things for sale at very reasonable (cheap by NY standards) prices…this is an excellent place to buy a gift for a girlfriend, wife, mom, etc. Their offices are a perfect representation of the company…part-art studio, part-startup, part-commune. From what I gather, there is some solid core technology behind this operation, but you really wouldn’t know it from visiting. The office is adorned with all types of crafts - a recently constructed pillow in the shape of twin breasts, silk-screened clothes of all shapes and sizes and other assorted chatchkes. The mood is decidedly chill and laid back, one I imagine would be conducive to creativity. Union Square Ventures funded the company, which recently sold its one millionth product and is generating $1 million in profit on $12 million in revenue - a dollar in profit for each product sold at an early stage of development….that’s pretty nice. Check out Etsy’s full slate of workshops and classes held locally at Etsy Labs in Brooklyn as well as their national events calendar, or stop by their offices for one of their "teas". These guys are doing Brooklyn proud.