Exits

Today is my last day as an operator at Wavelo and I switch to being its biggest fan. After spending every single day for over 1000 days thinking about the company it will be a mental transition that takes some time, but it’s one that I’m excited about. Closing chapters can be hard, especially ones that we enjoy. But it’s important to put the book down and process what has been read. It’s only then that we can truly appreciate the next chapter.

When I look back on this one, it’s easy to think of all the amazing accomplishments. Many firsts for me: first B2B company; first SaaS company; first time starting a company inside of a public entity. From a success metrics standpoint hitting $38M in annual revenue in two years is pretty impressive, but as cliché as it sounds, it’s the people and the teams that are the real success. I firmly believe the folks building Wavelo each day have the potential to transform communications globally. To the teams I say thank you for an amazing journey together–I’m rooting for you all!

I can’t compare this moment to many others. Coming off the road from touring with Wildlife Control (an exit of sorts) to launch Venmo into a $1B exit to PayPal felt pretty natural–many of the early team left around that time and we knew the company was in great hands. Exiting Verizon felt like the right time as management and strategy shifts made it clear to me that my mindset and leadership style as a growth-centric innovator wasn’t what was needed next. And then there’s the exits by my advisory and investment portfolio companies. Dasher to AB InBev which was a nice outcome for the product and team to find a home and more recently Betcha to Vivid Seats, where the product and team has flourished. I guess the one thing that they all have in common is serving as moments that have led to amazing new opportunities–to growth.

Speaking of growth. An open mind and a deep desire to keep learning have been the most important assets in my career. It took years for me to figure that out. So while I’m certainly excited about what’s next, today is about closing this chapter so I can fully embrace the next. I have a deep sense of gratitude for everyone who has been so supportive while I’ve embarked on this mission to reinvent telecom. I look forward to continuing to sing together as we make our dreams reality!