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Google's stock and cash worth $6B is still better offer to than rising $100MM. Not only first is 60x more, but it is also the ultimate exit (done deal - wash yo

Google's stock and cash worth $6B is still better offer to than rising $100MM. Not only first is 60x more, but it is also the ultimate exit (done deal - wash your hands go to the bank to cash the check), versus "$100MM investment" is just a gas for a business to sustain it and move it forward. So still you haven't convinced me that Mason was after the money. I think he obsessively believed in the idea, which to me (personally) has no merits from business perspective, therefore from the investor/stockholder perspective this is a nightmarish position to be in, but one has to agree Mason did build something good: he gave jobs to thousands unemployed and stimulated the recessed economy by providing platform for both businesses and customers to continue selling and buying. edit: I don't believe Mason had a crystal ball to predict how future will look.

jeremyt 14y ago
Sorry, I was incorrect, it turns out they raised $1 billion, most of which went to the existing investors. Of course, reasonable people can disagree on this, but I think the questionable accounting standards (see: adjusted consolidated segment operating income) that they made up to hide their huge weaknesses before the IPO came straight from the top. I think Mason knew the wheels were coming off even before the Google offer, and he decided to take the guaranteed 1 billion instead of risking not making it through due diligence with Google. Then, push the accelerator to the floor, try to obfuscate the numbers as much as possible, and get away with as much money as possible before the IPO investors were left holding the bag.