Episode 21: Which Way To Turn?
Judy and I decided that the peace and quiet of Mendocino would help us divine the best direction for our project. It was our second time heading out to the Howard Creek Ranch, so we knew just what to pack—and pack we did. Our hatchback was jammed to the gills: barb-q grill, boom box, a huge cooler filled with our favorite foods, candles, clothes (not that we would need any), iPads, computers. It felt like we had everything and the kitchen sink.
It was windier this time when we arrived at our little oceanside love shack. But that didn’t stop us from dancing to music, walking down the beach, cooking steaks outside and savoring candlelight dinners next to the ever-toasty wood-burning stove.
Between our long-lingering kisses, we tossed around ideas about how to proceed, weighing pros and cons as we strategized how we might best bring our big idea to the world. Large publisher versus small. Time to market. Timelines for publishing. Editing…marketing…publicity….budget. There were a million things to consider.
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” That ancient philosophy had been reinterpreted for me time and time again as I cut my teeth in Silicon Valley start-ups. The modern incarnation is do something and correct as you go. Even imperfect decisions bring the goal closer.
Whether it’s the proverbial first step of the journey, or the concept of constantly moving forward, my mantra is the same: Movement equals Success.
That weekend in Mendocino, between the kisses and the barbeque, walks on the beach and flapjacks from Sally’s 100 year-old stove, Judy and I decided to put our project in the hands of Steve and Stephen at White Cloud. As first timers, we needed help in every way and the overarching thought was that they would deliver. Besides, we really liked Steve. He seemed honest, trustworthy, and there was a good connection on a personal level.
These characteristics would become key selection criteria for bringing future members to our team and make a founding principle for our enterprise.
The Death of Online Dating 