From the Editor's Desk Reflecting on My Failure to Build a Billion-Dollar Company It took years for me to realize my pursuit of growth was misguided from the start In 2011, I left my job as the second employee at Pinterest — before I vested any of my stock — to work on what I thought would be my life’s work. I thought Gumroad would become a billion-dollar company, with hundreds of employees. It would IPO, and I would work on it until I died. Something like that. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. Now, it may look like I am in an enviable position, running a profitable, growing, low-maintenance software business serving adoring customers. But for years, I considered myself a failure. At my lowest point, I had to lay off 75 percent of my company, including many of my best friends. I had failed. It took me years to realize I was misguided from the outset. I no longer feel shame in the path I took to get to where I am today — but for a long time, I did. This is my journey, from the beginning. Continued here Read TradeBriefs every day, for startup insights! Advertisers of the day Cambridge Senior Management: Cambridge Senior Management Programme (SMP) | June 2019 | Accepting Applications Wharton Business Analytics Team: Wharton's Business Analytics Program (Online) Our advertisers help fund the daily operations of TradeBriefs. We request you to accept our promotional emails. |