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With regards to your first question: We plan on issuing dividends - that's it. We will not be acquired unless 1) We have a family and/or close friend emergency

With regards to your first question: We plan on issuing dividends - that's it. We will not be acquired unless 1) We have a family and/or close friend emergency that requires ridiculous amounts of money crucial to someone's survival or well being; 2) Tom or I become sick of what we're working on and want to work on something else or 3) We're not making enough money to live off of. We're already profitable so I'm not too concerned with #3 yet. Anything I've ever wanted I already have - more money is not going to make me any happier. Also, I worry that I don't have whatever is it takes to have gobs of money and not change as a person.

zhyder 18y ago
That's an interesting point of view. Apart from financial gains for founders, acquisition also makes sense for the consumers in many cases. E.g. it makes sense for the company building a spreadsheet app to get together with the ones building the presentation and word processing apps. The alternative is for every company to build everything (or at least everything in each app suite), and that's just wasteful. That's just the product development side. There's also marketing, manufacturing (not in web apps), and distribution (also not in web apps) synergies. I'm curious to understand your logic against acquisitions. Integrating 2 corporate cultures, creation of larger bureaucracies?
- fallentimes 18y ago
  Sure. The elimination or reduction of true work schedule flexibility (which we don't have entirely yet, but will have soon). A Boss. Red tape. Bureaucracy. Suits. TPS Reports. Worthless meetings. Sub committees. Work that isn't "work". And most importantly, corporate rules and protocol not in line with our philosophies of living & working. TicketStumbler is a bit of a different animal than most startups & companies. I plan on writing about this extensively in the future (http://intheteeth.com http://intheteeth.com). I'm not saying acquisitions never make sense or never add value or that I'll never have a Company that will be acquired...just that TicketStumbler more than likely won't be "that" Company.
pchristensen 18y ago
Already profitable in the sense of paying back the money you've already spent, or profitable in the sense of making acceptable market salaries? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=247720 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=247720
- fallentimes 18y ago
  Our salaries certainly aren't market acceptable but they are enough to have health insurance, a decent place to live, eat fresh food, afford cable and go to the bar occassionally :). I definitely see your point; hopefully, they'll be market acceptable soon. So cash is growing...so far (we didn't spend any of our own money).
  - pchristensen 18y ago
    That's awesome, especially one month-ish after launch. Congrats!
    - fallentimes 18y ago
      Thanks, but there's still a ton of work to do and nothing is guaranteed :).

zhyder 18y ago

That's an interesting point of view. Apart from financial gains for founders, acquisition also makes sense for the consumers in many cases. E.g. it makes sense for the company building a spreadsheet app to get together with the ones building the presentation and word processing apps. The alternative is for every company to build everything (or at least everything in each app suite), and that's just wasteful. That's just the product development side. There's also marketing, manufacturing (not in web apps), and distribution (also not in web apps) synergies. I'm curious to understand your logic against acquisitions. Integrating 2 corporate cultures, creation of larger bureaucracies?

fallentimes 18y ago
Sure. The elimination or reduction of true work schedule flexibility (which we don't have entirely yet, but will have soon). A Boss. Red tape. Bureaucracy. Suits. TPS Reports. Worthless meetings. Sub committees. Work that isn't "work". And most importantly, corporate rules and protocol not in line with our philosophies of living & working. TicketStumbler is a bit of a different animal than most startups & companies. I plan on writing about this extensively in the future (http://intheteeth.com http://intheteeth.com). I'm not saying acquisitions never make sense or never add value or that I'll never have a Company that will be acquired...just that TicketStumbler more than likely won't be "that" Company.

pchristensen 18y ago

Already profitable in the sense of paying back the money you've already spent, or profitable in the sense of making acceptable market salaries? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=247720 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=247720

fallentimes 18y ago
Our salaries certainly aren't market acceptable but they are enough to have health insurance, a decent place to live, eat fresh food, afford cable and go to the bar occassionally :). I definitely see your point; hopefully, they'll be market acceptable soon. So cash is growing...so far (we didn't spend any of our own money).
- pchristensen 18y ago
  That's awesome, especially one month-ish after launch. Congrats!
  - fallentimes 18y ago
    Thanks, but there's still a ton of work to do and nothing is guaranteed :).