7 ms·

Mike Moritz Stepping Back From Sequoia Due to Health Problems

165 points by motti_s 14y ago

pc 14y ago
Mike sits on our board at Stripe. He's one of the greats. This is very sad news.
AllenKids 14y ago
Wow, I wish his condition stays managed for a very very long time to come.
- billpatrianakos 14y ago
  Any clue what that condition may be? I hate to be that nosey guy but it's just human nature to wonder when someone drops a bomb like that but doesn't give you much else to go on. Do you think it'll be disclosed later? That's really shocking sad news but if it's manageable like he says I wonder if maybe his wealth will shield him by allowing him to get the best treatment and stave it off for a real long time. I'm kicking myself for writing this but I just can't help it. Curiosity is killing me here. The way it implies that it's incurable but manageable to the point of still being able to work is making my mind jump to different diseases that are incurable but manageable. I hope I'm very wrong but the first thing I thought of was HIV/AIDS. I just keep thinking of Magic Johnson and how he retired from basketball but is still doing very well almost 30 years later presumably because of his access to the best treatments. When Jobs was diagnosed with cancer we knew from the start it was cancer. When a public figure like Moritz makes an announcement like this but doesn't disclose the disease I'd guess it's either simply because he wants his privacy or because whatever disease he has may have a stigma attached like HIV does. When it comes to things like this even the most famous of people deserve their right to privacy be respected. That said, I feel like it isn't too common for such people to drop big news like this and not say what the disease is which is why I jumped to wondering if it's a disease that carries a stigma. God, I feel like such a dick writing this. It's a real sensitive topic, I know. Maybe someone has some more information somehow though? Anyone?
  - mutagen 14y ago
    He chose not to disclose it for a reason, I'd respect his rights to privacy. If he wished to, Mr. Moritz could bring considerable attention and resources to the issue. Perhaps he is waiting for the right moments to do so. HIV/AIDS is unlikely for a couple of reasons. First, it isn't exactly rare. Second, quality of life can be maintained for quite a while with modern treatments.
    - billpatrianakos 14y ago
      I regret mentioning HIV. I just thought stigma and that's what popped in my head first. And yeah, I do wish to respect that privacy and if he's not going to say it then I wouldn't press him. But it is natural to really wonder when you read a letter like that. I really hope what I said wasn't offensive. I had no bad intentions in writing it. I just got that feeling you get when someone comes up and tells you "I have a secret but I'm not telling". I don't feel it's wrong to wonder and even ask if somebody knows more but if it is then I'm honestly sorry in advance and I really do wish him the very best and hope he stays well and continues to do the great work he loves doing for a long time to come.
    - larrys 14y ago
      "He chose not to disclose it for a reason, I'd respect his rights to privacy." But he did in a way disclose more than he had to. He didn't have to say he was suffering from an incurable disease. He's not the CEO of a public company. He could have simply said he wanting to cut back because of either "personal" or "health" reasons that he'd rather not talk about. If he wants privacy he revealed TMI, info "incurable" that will only lead to more speculation.
      - vm 14y ago
        Remember he sent this in a private note to Sequoia investors. Although you'd expect something like this to leak, it was still not public communication.
  - bkudria 14y ago
    You should ask yourself if the answer you're looking for will answer your question.
jwwest 14y ago
Good luck to Mr Moritz. The Little Kingdom is one of my favorite books about Apple and remains a classic.
namityadav 14y ago
Hope he stays healthy for a long long time!
deleted 14y ago
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qasar 14y ago
That is tough to hear. I've never met Mike Moritz but he has had a notable impact on my life. I read an interview once where he said that he likes to invest in people under 30. When I heard that in my mid-20s I made it a point to move to silicon valley as soon as I could. Whenever people would ask why I had this irrational sense of urgency of leaving Chicago (where I was doing my first startup) I would say "Ever heard of this guy Mike Moritz? He said they don't like to invest people over 30 and i'm already 26!" Of course it was me just rationalizing but nonetheless it's the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear anything about Mike. Like Napoleon said, "Everything on earth is soon forgotten, except the opinion we leave imprinted on history"
deleted 14y ago
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sim0n 14y ago
I've only met Mr Moritz once and feel very lucky to have spent a short amount of time one to one with him. I seriously hope that he stays healthy for a long time to come.
wilschroter 14y ago
Met Mike during a pitch @ Sequoia 10 years ago. Within 5 seconds he understood our business better than we did. You just don't find that.
dangoldin 14y ago
I remember emailing Mike more than 10 years ago (as an aspiring high school student) about getting an internship at Sequoia and getting a very thoughtful response from him. In hindsight, I'm surprised I even received a response. I wish him and his family the best.
rdl 14y ago
This is very sad. I've only met him at a few events, and through his writing (The Little Kingdom, a classic), but he has done a lot to make silicon valley what it is today. I hope he is right about remaining healthy for a long time, or is wrong about it being "incurable".
mythrowawayacct 14y ago
and overnight, Sequioa's firing rate of Founder-CEO's drops... yes or no?
- unfortunat 14y ago
  you mean ceo's like sean parker?
deleted 14y ago
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hef19898 14y ago
I wish you good luck and all the courage you, and your close ones, can muster. Let's hope you have still a lot of time to come!
georgechen 14y ago
I once had an opportunity to present to Mr. Moritz (just last year). He adores the idea of entrepreneurship, and idolize great entrepreneur in general. He was friendly, and very, very nice to our team. Gave us some ideas on what we should work on as well. He's one of the top tier person in the valley I feel completely comfortable talking to, and not feeling intimidated at all. I wish him well, and I hope he stays involve.

165 points by motti_s 14y ago

pc 14y ago

Mike sits on our board at Stripe. He's one of the greats. This is very sad news.

AllenKids 14y ago

Wow, I wish his condition stays managed for a very very long time to come.

billpatrianakos 14y ago
Any clue what that condition may be? I hate to be that nosey guy but it's just human nature to wonder when someone drops a bomb like that but doesn't give you much else to go on. Do you think it'll be disclosed later? That's really shocking sad news but if it's manageable like he says I wonder if maybe his wealth will shield him by allowing him to get the best treatment and stave it off for a real long time. I'm kicking myself for writing this but I just can't help it. Curiosity is killing me here. The way it implies that it's incurable but manageable to the point of still being able to work is making my mind jump to different diseases that are incurable but manageable. I hope I'm very wrong but the first thing I thought of was HIV/AIDS. I just keep thinking of Magic Johnson and how he retired from basketball but is still doing very well almost 30 years later presumably because of his access to the best treatments. When Jobs was diagnosed with cancer we knew from the start it was cancer. When a public figure like Moritz makes an announcement like this but doesn't disclose the disease I'd guess it's either simply because he wants his privacy or because whatever disease he has may have a stigma attached like HIV does. When it comes to things like this even the most famous of people deserve their right to privacy be respected. That said, I feel like it isn't too common for such people to drop big news like this and not say what the disease is which is why I jumped to wondering if it's a disease that carries a stigma. God, I feel like such a dick writing this. It's a real sensitive topic, I know. Maybe someone has some more information somehow though? Anyone?
- mutagen 14y ago
  He chose not to disclose it for a reason, I'd respect his rights to privacy. If he wished to, Mr. Moritz could bring considerable attention and resources to the issue. Perhaps he is waiting for the right moments to do so. HIV/AIDS is unlikely for a couple of reasons. First, it isn't exactly rare. Second, quality of life can be maintained for quite a while with modern treatments.
  - billpatrianakos 14y ago
    I regret mentioning HIV. I just thought stigma and that's what popped in my head first. And yeah, I do wish to respect that privacy and if he's not going to say it then I wouldn't press him. But it is natural to really wonder when you read a letter like that. I really hope what I said wasn't offensive. I had no bad intentions in writing it. I just got that feeling you get when someone comes up and tells you "I have a secret but I'm not telling". I don't feel it's wrong to wonder and even ask if somebody knows more but if it is then I'm honestly sorry in advance and I really do wish him the very best and hope he stays well and continues to do the great work he loves doing for a long time to come.
  - larrys 14y ago
    "He chose not to disclose it for a reason, I'd respect his rights to privacy." But he did in a way disclose more than he had to. He didn't have to say he was suffering from an incurable disease. He's not the CEO of a public company. He could have simply said he wanting to cut back because of either "personal" or "health" reasons that he'd rather not talk about. If he wants privacy he revealed TMI, info "incurable" that will only lead to more speculation.
    - vm 14y ago
      Remember he sent this in a private note to Sequoia investors. Although you'd expect something like this to leak, it was still not public communication.
- bkudria 14y ago
  You should ask yourself if the answer you're looking for will answer your question.

jwwest 14y ago

Good luck to Mr Moritz. The Little Kingdom is one of my favorite books about Apple and remains a classic.

namityadav 14y ago

Hope he stays healthy for a long long time!

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

qasar 14y ago

That is tough to hear. I've never met Mike Moritz but he has had a notable impact on my life. I read an interview once where he said that he likes to invest in people under 30. When I heard that in my mid-20s I made it a point to move to silicon valley as soon as I could. Whenever people would ask why I had this irrational sense of urgency of leaving Chicago (where I was doing my first startup) I would say "Ever heard of this guy Mike Moritz? He said they don't like to invest people over 30 and i'm already 26!" Of course it was me just rationalizing but nonetheless it's the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear anything about Mike. Like Napoleon said, "Everything on earth is soon forgotten, except the opinion we leave imprinted on history"

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

sim0n 14y ago

I've only met Mr Moritz once and feel very lucky to have spent a short amount of time one to one with him. I seriously hope that he stays healthy for a long time to come.

wilschroter 14y ago

Met Mike during a pitch @ Sequoia 10 years ago. Within 5 seconds he understood our business better than we did. You just don't find that.

dangoldin 14y ago

I remember emailing Mike more than 10 years ago (as an aspiring high school student) about getting an internship at Sequoia and getting a very thoughtful response from him. In hindsight, I'm surprised I even received a response. I wish him and his family the best.

rdl 14y ago

This is very sad. I've only met him at a few events, and through his writing (The Little Kingdom, a classic), but he has done a lot to make silicon valley what it is today. I hope he is right about remaining healthy for a long time, or is wrong about it being "incurable".

mythrowawayacct 14y ago

and overnight, Sequioa's firing rate of Founder-CEO's drops... yes or no?

unfortunat 14y ago
you mean ceo's like sean parker?

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

hef19898 14y ago

I wish you good luck and all the courage you, and your close ones, can muster. Let's hope you have still a lot of time to come!

georgechen 14y ago

I once had an opportunity to present to Mr. Moritz (just last year). He adores the idea of entrepreneurship, and idolize great entrepreneur in general. He was friendly, and very, very nice to our team. Gave us some ideas on what we should work on as well. He's one of the top tier person in the valley I feel completely comfortable talking to, and not feeling intimidated at all. I wish him well, and I hope he stays involve.