Comments on: Shawn Fanning, Ready for a Rupture http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:23:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Arunabh Das http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188097 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:46:02 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188097 There are many reasons Shawn Fanning needs to get in on the VC action. Most importantly, the fact that there has been a real slowdown in innovation in this decade. Rev it up !! – Arunabh Das

]]> By: Arunabh Das Sharma http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188096 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:03:10 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188096 The VCs don’t get it. The people that drive the technology are not the ones that can drive the business. Shawn drives the technology. Driving the business should be delegated to the people that know business.

- Arunabh Das Sharma

]]> By: Warren Stringer http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188095 Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:55:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188095 Three thoughts:

First, I know Shawn and worked on his code. His style is focused and clean.

Second, I remember having sushi with Shel, who had been involved with a string of failures – just like Shawn has. He mentioned that he was taking on a new gig in Seattle to sell books online. I thought the venture was a bit far-fetched. He became employee #1 at Amazon.

Finally, I like Mark Cuban’s analogy to sports: you have to shoot 50% in basketball and 30% in baseball. For business, you only need to score once.

]]> By: Contemplating The Potential Of The Social Gaming Space - Profy.Com http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188094 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:17:49 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188094 [...] encounter with Shawn Fanning (of Napster fame) at a holiday party, at which point he learned of the imminent public release of Rupture, a startup more than a year in the [...]

]]> By: Joi Ito http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188093 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 19:09:21 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188093 I’m an investor in Rupture and a board member. Shawn is one of the best entrepreneurs I’ve ever met and have worked with. Many other entrepreneurs are mad/sour/upset about the past and blame others for everything that went wrong. Shawn never does. Shawn never complains. He’s always upbeat, hard-working, honest, thinking about his investors, thinking about his team, bright, creative, inspiring…

There are a lot of things you can legitimately rip on in this little frothy moment we’re having right now, but Shawn isn’t one of them.

]]> By: qurious http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188092 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:05:20 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188092 Courtsquare didn’t invest in Snocap until after Fanning had already left the company and the music business. From what I gather, Hank Barry was
running the show at Napster and was responsible for the Bertlesmann investment.

Anyone who has met Fanning for 10 minutes will tell you that your characterization is way off. He’s one of the few truly humble and focused entrepreneurs you will meet.

Fanning does have a fault, though. He hires people to do things he should handle himself and then defers to them. Maybe it was youth and inexperience, I just hope he’s built up the confidence to do it himself this time around.

If you read this, Shawn, trust your instincts.

We’ll see if he’s learned that lesson.

]]> By: dubdub http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188091 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:29:22 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188091 Napster was a revolutionary concept and started the evolution of the music industry. The true idea was never that of big business, and the record companies and industry in general certainly didn’t want anything to do with a digital revolution.

Was this Fanning taking advantage of VCs?

Snocap was a novel concept and had a lot of potential. After years of fealing with the industry, Fanning burned out and moved on, The people left in charge of the company drove the vision into the ground.

Was this Fanning taking advantage of VCs?

You’re sure quick to judge someone who is pretty well respected in many circles (specifically entrepreneurial ones.) Maybe it’s just frustration that no one will put money into your big idea?

Regardless, if I looked at my past and it contained Napster, Snocap and now Rupture I’d definitely feel like I had promise .. even if things hadn’t worked out quite yet.

]]> By: AB http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188090 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:37:32 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/12/15/shawn-fanning-ready-for-a-rupture/#comment-188090 Yes the original Napster is bust and Snocap will be bust shortly. If any of these VCs had a clue about what it takes to make money in the music business they would never have put a dime into either one of these companies.

Combined Fanning has lost VCs over a 100 million between his last 2 ventures – and humdreds of millions paid out in lawsuits to record labels.

Those boys at Courtsquare Ventures are still licking their chops after the beating they just took with Snocap – and crazy thing here, one of VCs there used to be in the music business (or at least claims to have been in the biz).

OM, you should start a new section on gigaom for people/ventures like Fanning’s – its a category unto itself! STEALTH MODE _ BIG PRESS_ BIG FUNDING_MEDIOCORE PRODUCT (or simply plans for a product)_MORE BIG PRESS_BIG BUST(aka DEATH BY PRESS)_START ALL OVER WITH NEW VENTURE in STEALTH MODE.

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