Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble

The year was 1999. The dot-com bubble was in full swing. Venture capitalists were throwing money at any start-up with a pulse. I was fresh out of business school and eager to get in on the action.

Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble

by Dan Lyons

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2571 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	273 pages

FREE

I joined a start-up called Pets.com. The company's mission was to sell pet supplies online. It was a great idea. The pet industry was huge, and there was no major online retailer.

We raised $100 million in venture capital and went public in February 2000. The stock price doubled on the first day of trading.

We were on top of the world. We had a great team, a great product, and a lot of money. We were going to change the world.

But then the bubble burst. The stock market crashed and venture capitalists stopped investing. We were left with a lot of debt and no funding.

We tried to pivot to other businesses, but it was too late. We were out of money and out of time.

In December 2000, Pets.com filed for bankruptcy. I was out of a job.

The experience was devastating. I had lost my job, my savings, and my dream.

But I also learned a lot. I learned about the importance of due diligence. I learned about the dangers of over-leveraging. And I learned about the importance of having a plan B.

I eventually got another job. I'm not a millionaire, but I'm happy. I'm ng work that I love. And I'm grateful for the lessons that I learned during my misadventure in the start-up bubble.

Here are some of the lessons that I learned:

* Do your due diligence. Before you invest in any start-up, make sure you understand the company's business model, financial statements, and management team. * Don't over-leverage yourself. Don't take on more debt than you can afford to pay back. * Have a plan B. In case your start-up fails, have a backup plan in place.

I hope that my story will help other entrepreneurs avoid the same mistakes that I made.

The start-up bubble was a wild ride. I'm glad that I experienced it, but I'm also glad that it's over.

Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble

by Dan Lyons

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2571 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	273 pages

FREE