5 ms·

Why can't they just be a niche company that sells niche products? I like my pebble and I want(ed) the pebble time 2. Can a company really not exist without gro

• dspillett 10y ago
  > Can a company really not exist without growth? Or do they just don't want to? Certainly not if you have investors who want competitive returns, unfortunately.
  • icebraining 10y ago
    Or workers that got shares as compensation, at least until you grow enough for them to cash in.
• rtpg 10y ago
  I think the problem was that Pebble had a very high headcount, and not enough money coming in to satisfy that. And, of course, VCs breathing down their neck.
• throwaway40483 10y ago
  No, I think this is impossible in tech. If you fall asleep at the wheel you'll get blackberryed/nokiaed. You can't run a lifestyle business in tech (unless you find a niche area with very little revenue)
  • kobeya 10y ago
    Counter-examples abound.
• wpietri 10y ago
  > Can a company really not exist without growth? Or do they just don't want to? This is the devil's bargain when you take VC money. You basically rule out the "small success" option. VC is a hit-driven business, so they will push you to go big. And neither they nor their LPs (whose money it really is) are in the business of owning small, modestly successful, privately held companies. You need to go public or get acquired by somebody who can provide a return to the LPs.