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I'm usually very reticent about making snide remarks about a startup as it deadpools, but in this case I'll make an exception. As someone who's working in this
by _pius 16y ago
I'm usually very reticent about making snide remarks about a startup as it deadpools, but in this case I'll make an exception.
As someone who's working in this space (and was not fortunate enough to have been granted the imprimatur, mentorship, and network of YCombinator), it pisses me off that this company garnered so much hype and is now giving up so quickly. It'll now be that much harder to get print journalists to put their faith in new business models for their work.
From the start, I thought the promises NewsTilt was making were great but it wasn't at all clear how those promises were going to be fulfilled. On the strength of YC's reputation, I assumed that there was some "secret sauce" that differentiated them and made their promises credible. According to this e-mail, I was wrong. And now, mere months after being given what I'd consider to be the chance of a lifetime, they're just giving up. Not evolving, not making changes, just giving up. What a joke.
Have some passion about what you're doing or just don't bother.
- talbina 16y ago"As someone who's working in this space" Do you mind saying where?
- _pius 16y agoMy own pre-launch startup.
- brandnewlow 16y agoDrop me an e-mail when you launch and good luck!
- _pius 16y agothanks!
- petercooper 16y agoAnd now, mere months after being given what I'd consider to be the chance of a lifetime, they're just giving up. Not evolving, not making changes, just giving up. What a joke. Companies (or people!) who make bold promises, get the press excited, and then fail to deliver make it harder for us all to get our stories across. I usually play down what I'm doing and underpromise, but it seems reaching way beyond your limits and impressing journalists is the way to go for coverage (Sam Sethi's exploits that TechCrunch covered so deftly come to mind here, too.)
- alexro 16y agoExciting the press just for the sake of PR can backfire on YC anytime soon
- iamelgringo 16y agoI don't really understand the hating going on here in the comments. (All comments, not just yours, _pius). Shit happens. Family dies or gets sick. People get married and shit hits the fan. Things change. You don't always want to air out your dirty laundry in front of the press, either. As fellow entrepreneurs, you'd think that we'd be supportive and say things like "Holy, crap. Thinks must have really hit the fan for them to close up shop so soon after launching!" I happen to know the founders. We had breakfast and talked a bit while they were in YC. And, they had a hell of a lot going on. I certainly don't know everything that's going on with them, but I'm happy to give them the benefit of the doubt. Really, HN. How about a little support for guys that gave it a go instead of complaining about their supposed "lack of passion".