From the beginning of this podcast channel, my co-host Rob Kenedi has presented himself as the crotchety tech old-hand, eager to purchase the latest Apple device and talk about the trough of disillusionment.
But Rob is more than an aerodynamic talking head, he’s a builder, having built and run a variety of tech businesses, venture-backed and otherwise.
“It’s not like a light comes down from heaven and says ‘now you shall stop your company.’ But, man, was it very difficult emotionally.”
Keen-eared listeners might have also picked up on the fact that following Rob’s exit from TWG (after TWG’s exit to Deloitte) he was working on a new startup.
Now, it’s a tough time for startups. If last year was the downturn, this year has proven to be whatever horrible thing comes after a downturn. And it has left companies of all sizes reeling: layoffs, CEO departures, insolvencies, and even shutdowns.
This week’s podcast is the story of Rob’s startup, and why he decided to kill it.
It’s certainly not the ’40-year-old Founder’ podcast I had hoped to record with Rob, but given how often we’re discussing other people’s businesses on this show, it made sense to share a story a little closer to home.
Rob is frank and forthright on this podcast, which I find commendable. I don’t know if you think the results are navel-gazing, but I know that other founders across tech are currently faced with similar decisions, and I’ve always found that hearing from those who have gone through what I’m going through is helpful.
So this is the one about the time Rob decided to kill his startup. We hope it’s helpful. Let’s dig in.
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The BetaKit Podcast is hosted by Douglas Soltys & Rob Kenedi. Edited by Kattie Laur.