It was the winter of 2007 around Christmas time. I was about to receive one of the most beautiful presents I’d ever gotten.
Many founders dream to build a company and make an exit. I was negotiating with Sanoma Hearst on an acquisition of the company I started seven years prior. The exit was a well-deserved gift after many years of hard work. Sanoma offered ~$4M for one of my websites which valuated the entire company at $9M.
Four years before, I got an investment from a real estate fund that was interested in starting its tech operations, and gave them 60 percent of the company shares and control for an investment in the company. This was the first stupid move I made – giving up control to someone that has no clue about running a technology company.
http://vladstan.com/you-cut-i-choose-a-startup-protocol-for-breaking-up-with-your-business-partners