Comments on: Venture Capitalists V. Founders: Battle At Mochi Media

By: noneya bidness

noneya bidness — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:37:15 +0000

Will Price is a former VC with a full 1.8 yrs of operational experience. I am not sure his opinion about another VC with even less operational experience is relevant.

By: Confirmed: Ex-Yahoo To Run Microsoft Silicon Valley Ads Team Amid Exits From Mochi Media

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:18 +0000

[...] because it highlights a continued string of exits of senior level people from Mochi Media. A power struggle currently going on between the investors certainly isn’t helping the cause. Aside from Boyd, [...]

By: Ex-Yahoo To Run Microsoft Silicon Valley Ads Team Amid Exodus From Mochi Media

Ex-Yahoo To Run Microsoft Silicon Valley Ads Team Amid Exodus From Mochi Media — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:55:16 +0000

[...] interesting because it highlights a continued exodus of senior level people from Mochi Media. A power struggle currently going on between the investors is likely the cause. Aside from Boyd, no less than CEO [...]

By: Change is in the air for venture capitalists | Newsfed - Aggregate local and tech stories with related videos and tweets!

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:01:00 +0000

[...] generate precious cash will get pushed through at historically low returns of less than 2x, like the recent story of Mochi [...]

By: Yes he is

Yes he is — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:50:29 +0000

I think Ping Li fits 3-4 of those descriptions:

1) Mr. Armchair. He’s a Friday afternoon Chairman. He knows exactly what he’d do as board member of facebook, Google, MySpace.,YouTube. Too bad his portfolio company’s don’t get the same enthusiastic coverage.

Mr. X-Product Manager. He says he’s seeking alpha, but has zero stomach for beta. Beta here, of course, meaning risk not software version. If team + market opportunity + cap table + due dilligence + angel syndicate are in perfect order, he’ll pull the trigger. Number of winners = 0, but he can pee on a parade seven ways to Sunday.

9) Mr. Regurgitator. At HBS, he did well by parroting and that talent has served him well. Once, he culled the wrong case study resulting in a buy rec on BioPay and wallah! Exit-a-mundo! He’s so lucky that in ’08 he’ll be reverse-justifying his funds success.

10) Mr. Imitator. Read the GSB case study about a young vc getting 20% of a company for nothing (an urban myth) and has been trying to replicate it ever since.

By: in his defense

in his defense — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:44:57 +0000

i’ve met jameson. he’s a great guy and one of the best product minds in the business. he’ll spring a few more great companies in his life.

anyone who has met jameson and the other mochi people would know that leaking this to the press is totally out of character for them.

i suspect a non-accel shareholder who isnt going to make as much as he hoped on this acquisition.

By: why

why — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:32:40 +0000

mike probably went easy on ping because he’s in awe of jim breyer:
http://www.tech...silicon-valley/

By: Ed Brown

Ed Brown — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:53:47 +0000

I just was talking to someone 2 days ago who singled out Ping Li as the stupidest most vicious VC out there. That is after Carol Sands!

The story does indicate how much the situation has changed in 1 year’s time.

By: Scott Rafer

Scott Rafer — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:25:07 +0000

@HardyHar You can’t expect to do a deal with a VC firm if you go in hostile to one of the partners. The moment you ask that Li is not in a meeting, you’ve just removed the possibility that they will invest. And in that case, you are just feeding them competitive info or wasting your time. Either get over the Li issue or cancel the meeting.

By: How to make sure you never get funded again « Technology Startup Recipes

How to make sure you never get funded again « Technology Startup Recipes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:41:03 +0000

[...] 1, 2009 by yoavdembak In the story that appeared yesterday on TechCrunch, the founders of a company called Mochi Media went to the press to try and kill an acquisition deal [...]

By: DT

DT — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:44:24 +0000

Once again, a commenter assuming Mochi is doing so well. Why? Because TC says so. But what are their revenues?

By: YB

YB — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:10:37 +0000

How about the simple possibility that SOMEone has made one too many trips to Macau recently…

By: Maria Thomas, CEO, Etsy

Maria Thomas, CEO, Etsy — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:06:35 +0000

I agree with Chris Larsen. I don’t know Ping Li, but –in my experience — Accel, specifically Jim Breyer, is a very smart and engaged investor focused on building long-term value.

By: Check yourself

Check yourself — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:15:09 +0000

then he should sell his position to the founders

By: Richard Hooker

Richard Hooker — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:00:23 +0000

This is an excellent article. Important news, important takeaway, and somewhat fair and balanced. But Li and Accel are pretty darn good at what they do and, as an entrepreneur, I would take them on board any day. Keep in mind that Li and other investors have access to financial and operational company info that we don’t have and that last year was quite literally a very different world. If the offer is taken, it isn’t because Li steamrolled everyone at Accel and Shasta — it’s because he’s looking at spreadsheets that aren’t telling the same story the founders are telling.

By: Tboy Sionix

Tboy Sionix — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:09:19 +0000

he be genius

By: Check yourself

Check yourself — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:29:18 +0000

if the original TC article is correct, and mochi does in fact have a lot of money in the bank from its series B, then why the hell would anyone want to sell?

By: links for 2009-06-30 « Blarney Fellow

links for 2009-06-30 « Blarney Fellow — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:03:41 +0000

[...] Venture Capitalists V. Founders: Battle At Mochi Media (tags: vc startup) [...]

By: Daves

Daves — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:09:40 +0000

Blah blah name dropping. Damn your posts are annoying! You’re an attention whore.

You’re listing all these names and companies and yet your name doesn’t show up anywhere on the web. You’re just a wannabee.

As for Accel, you’re showing how clueless you are by conflating the whole firm with a partner. Clearly, the partner in question is a bad apple spoiling the batch.

By: Daves

Daves — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:06:14 +0000

The guy’s still wet behind the ears. He’s never run anything in his life. He doesn’t know sh*t about running a company. That’s his problem.

Accel needs to get rid of him.

By: Daves

Daves — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:04:57 +0000

Huh? Have you looked up Accel on TheFunded?

#1 thing about Accel is that they push founders out and replace the CEO with their own!

By: William Blanchard

William Blanchard — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:46:40 +0000

You wanted to say “piracy”, but no, I think part of the appeal is that we will end that

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:41:18 +0000

the internet?

By: Osman Eralp

Osman Eralp — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:06:13 +0000

Thanks for the feedback. I think you may have missed the key distinction i was trying to make: Russell and I have started or been involved with dozens of businesses that have succeeded, from Def Jam to Phat Farm to Mute Records, to Def Comedy Jam to Def Jam Games, Domino Records, countless films and other start-ups. We have worked with Universal Records, HBO, Electronic Arts, Syncom Funds (BET Investors) – the absolute best in every field. And it is our experience, as entrepreneurs, that Accel is, simply, the best of the best in Silicon Valley, and we know many of the best players. The have incredible people, an incredible network, really great insight, patience during difficult periods and the willingness to build really substantial businesses. Our position is unequivocal – you just couldn’t do better than Accel. Your business may or may not work out the way you hoped, that’s the nature of being an entrepreneur – but you could not find more engaged, smarter, more partnership oriented investors.

In every venture we have been involved with there was a ton of people telling us we could never make it – in comedy, records, fashion, online. Accel is the opposite, they back you all the way as long as you execute and keep focus.

By: Alex St. Claire

Alex St. Claire — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:54:21 +0000

You sound like the guy who has Russell Simmons behind him so of course you can deal with the Accel type folks, you have your lawyers and your own money and your own place in the market. For us entrepreneurs who are just trying to make our way in this forest, what do you say to us?