People see the headlines. “RemoteTeam acquired by Gusto.” “MovieLaLa acquired by Gfycat.” They see the angel investments in companies like Anthropic and OpenAI and think, “Wow, that guy must be rich.”
And sure, the exits are nice. The financial rewards are a part of the game. But if you think that’s the reason I do this, you’re missing the point entirely. The money is a byproduct. It’s not the why.
I’ve been in the Silicon Valley trenches for years. I’ve built four companies, and I’ve seen two of them through to acquisition. I’ve also invested in over 200 startups. I’ve seen the highs and the lows, the triumphs and the gut-wrenching failures. And I’m here to tell you that the real richness of this journey has very little to do with your bank account.
The Grind is the Glory
Let’s talk about RemoteTeam. We had this crazy idea to build a platform that would make it easy for companies to hire and pay international contractors. This was back in 2020, before remote work was the global norm it is today. People thought we were insane. We started with a tiny team and a shoestring budget. I remember the endless nights, the constant rejection from investors, the feeling that we were screaming into the void.
But we believed in our mission. We knew we were onto something. We kept our heads down, we kept building, and we kept fighting. And then, the world changed. The pandemic hit, and suddenly, every company on the planet was scrambling to figure out how to manage a remote workforce. We were in the right place at the right time, with the right product. Eighteen months after we started, Gusto acquired us.
It was a whirlwind. One day, we were a scrappy little startup, and the next, we were part of a decacorn. The acquisition was a huge validation of our vision and our hard work. But the real richness of that experience wasn’t the exit. It was the journey. It was the camaraderie of our small team, the thrill of building something from nothing, the satisfaction of solving a real problem for our customers.
The Scars You Earn
And then there was MovieLaLa. This was my first go-around as a founder. We were building a social network for movie lovers, a place where you could discover new films, connect with other fans, and get exclusive content from the studios. We were young, we were ambitious, and we were naive. We made every mistake in the book. We burned through cash, we pivoted too many times, and we struggled to find a sustainable business model.
But we also had some incredible wins. We got funded by Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce. We were featured on TechCrunch. We built a passionate community of users who loved our product. In the end, we were acquired by Gfycat, and our technology was integrated into their platform. It wasn’t the massive exit we had dreamed of, but it was an exit nonetheless.
MovieLaLa was a different kind of rich. It was the richness of learning from your mistakes. It was the richness of getting knocked down and getting back up again. It was the richness of earning your scars. Those scars are a reminder of the battles you’ve fought and the lessons you’ve learned. They’re a badge of honor.
The Real ROI
I’ve been fortunate to have a front-row seat to some of the most exciting developments in technology. As an angel investor, I’ve had the privilege of backing founders who are building the future. I’ve invested in companies that are pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, companies that are revolutionizing industries, and companies that are solving some of the world’s most pressing problems.
And what I’ve learned from all of these experiences is that the real return on investment in the startup world isn’t financial. It’s the people you meet, the things you learn, and the impact you have. It’s the thrill of the chase, the joy of creation, and the satisfaction of making a difference.
So, if you’re thinking about starting a company, I have one piece of advice for you: don’t do it for the money. Do it for the love of the game. Do it for the challenge. Do it for the opportunity to build something that matters. Because that’s where you’ll find the real riches. That’s the “why.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.
Do all experts agree with this view?
No, and that's fine. The best ideas in business are often contrarian. I share my perspective based on my experience and data, but I encourage you to seek out opposing viewpoints and form your own conclusions.
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 200+ startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.