Writing about a startup nearly 15 years after its demise blends mixing persistent feelings with hazy details. This guest post by Erin Rollenhagen shares the excitement of starting a company, the slog of building and selling it, the sparks of hope at some successes, and the utter exhaustion that led to shutting it down
"In 2011, you really weren’t anyone in the Des Moines tech scene if you hadn’t attached yourself in some way to a startup. The thrill of walking around Startup Drinks with your Peace Tree Brewing Blonde Fatale in hand, sporting a ‘founder’ nametag and your American Apparel tri-blend startup tee, was unmatched."
thanks for the quick trip on the time machine! miss those days
Tej and ERin. This was a great read, both for the history and the lessons learned. I was not in Central Iowa during this period so learning about the eco-system was very informative. The experience of trying and then choosing to end the enterprise was clearly a journey of discovery, worth having and worth sharing. I actually listened to the audio version and that was a fun way to absorb the column! Thank you!
"In 2011, you really weren’t anyone in the Des Moines tech scene if you hadn’t attached yourself in some way to a startup. The thrill of walking around Startup Drinks with your Peace Tree Brewing Blonde Fatale in hand, sporting a ‘founder’ nametag and your American Apparel tri-blend startup tee, was unmatched."
thanks for the quick trip on the time machine! miss those days
Well done, my friend! 🌺❤️
Thank you. It's instructive to read stories like this. Being an entrepreneur can be challenging.
Tej and ERin. This was a great read, both for the history and the lessons learned. I was not in Central Iowa during this period so learning about the eco-system was very informative. The experience of trying and then choosing to end the enterprise was clearly a journey of discovery, worth having and worth sharing. I actually listened to the audio version and that was a fun way to absorb the column! Thank you!