Starting a new chapter is a common expression. Lois and I have had a different expression to describe the transformations we’ve experienced as a couple and as individuals, over the 30 years that we’re together. We say we’ve lived many lives. We’re about to start a new life (to us, not just a new chapter in an existing one).
In 1997 I contacted Digital Creations, a small Python shop in Fredericksburg, VA, to ask if they were looking for an investment. I was looking to put some personal money into an innovative software company. We hit it off, but I was new and naïve about angel investing and they were overly-cautious and the deal never happened.
I fully credit my involvement with that initial failure for giving me the taste for technology venture capital. A couple of months after our deal disintegrated, I made my first investment. That turned into me founding a venture capital firm. I never lost my interest or desire to be involved with Digital Creations. I approached them again in 1998. Digital Creations ended up being the fourth investment in my new VC firm.
In 2001, we renamed the company Zope Corporation, to reflect the success that our product, Zope, had in the market. Most of the people reading this will probably have never heard of Digital Creations.
Also in 2001, the company repurchased the shares of two venture capital firms that invested in late 2000. That left the company with limited financial resources in a very difficult time. Lois and I dedicated ourselves to operational roles to help rebuild the company. We believed that we were making a one-year commitment to working at/with/for the company. Here we are, nearly 11 years later.
Back in 2001, it was my idea to make the offer to buy out the other VCs. This time, my old playbook was employed by rest of the management team, who felt that they were in a position to make me a similar offer. After working out myriad details, a deal was struck. The transaction closed yesterday afternoon.
Lois and I are no longer involved with Zope Corporation, after it was the central part of our working lives in our most recent past life.
We wish them continued success in everything they do, as a company and as individuals who we have known and loved for a very long time.
A natural question is “What will you do in your next life?”. The honest answer is I have no idea. After all, I’m a newborn again. I have some time before I’m expected (or able) to walk. Come talk to me when I’m crawling and we’ll see if a plan has formed.
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