Last week Microsoft’s “Ambassador to Startups” Don Dodge was laid off from Microsoft as part of a broad reduction in staff.
We, along with countless others, lamented the decision. Dodge was the face of Microsoft for many, many people. And the comments to our post and other blog coverage attested to this.
We had a chance to sit down with Dodge for a few minutes today in our office and give him a proper exit interview (these are always fascinating).
For the first few minutes of the video Dodge talks about his job at Microsoft evangelizing their tools and platforms to developers. The BizSpark program is a big part of the conversation.
At around the 5:30 mark Dodge talks about his view of startups. “It’s easy to criticize startups” he says, “but it’s much harder to create one.” He also uses a quote that I once grabbed off of a sticker – “Those who say it cannot be done shouldn’t interrupt the people doing it” (see The Man In The Arena for more of this type of thinking).
“When Google was three months old, you would have laughed at them too, you would not have been impressed,” he says.
At around 7:05 Dodge talks about what’s next for him (make sure to watch this and you’ll see my not-so-subtle suggestion for his next job).
At 8:45, Dodge talks about the companies that he believes are innovating, and he implies that these are some of the companies he’d like to work for: Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter. Each of them would be lucky to get him.
And of course we have a few choice “off record” comments at the end while I tried to convince Dodge that the camera was no longer rolling. He’s known me too long to fall for that trick. That part starts at 10:28 and runs for just a few seconds, but it’s good stuff.
This just shows the state of our economy when Microsoft begins to lay off people like this…such a shame..but I’m sure he will have no trouble signing on with another company in the Valley pretty soon.
“Failure is an entrepreneurs tuition.”
Don couldn’t compete with Marrissa. That was the problem.
hopefully he’ll find a good startup to grow with instead of going to another behemoth tech company that is slow and cumbersome. right now it is best to be nimble and quick. always remember: “success is the best revenge.”
Microsoft doesn’t lay off good people! Don Dodge wasn’t good and Google just picked up a Microsoft underperformer. I blame Don for jumping at a job offer from Google. Great for him!! However, please keep the story straight and unbiased Michael. Don wasn’t hired away– he was exited.
The funny part– he says he won’t say anything negative about Microsoft…… his blog shows that he can’t hold true to his own words.
“When I’m emperor, I won’t do it that way.”
that part was off record.
PR people LOVE off the record with reporters. Always comes back to haunt ya…
JUDAS
Would *love* to see Don working with Apple’s Developer community. It’s becoming such a startup ecosystem of its own, and his leadership would be huge for both sides.
Best of luck, Don. Don’t think you’ll need it. Go get ‘em.
the trick with google was funny. but google… I am not sure google is another huge slow-motion microsoft. this guy is to flexible just to settle in huge entity like GOOG do “nothing” with no exposure, day by day!
it is a shame that they let Don Go. Great Guy. And they let Woody go here in San Diego. Real shame. The bizspark program is a great one and it is doing great things for startups.
Can’t wait to see where Don lands. All my best to him
Rodney Rumford
I like the ’subtle’ hint of where Don will be working next. Also the “The Camera isn’t even on”, “Yeah it is, I can see the red light.” Fail. =]
Haha. Oh Mike always with the tricks.
I believe Don is a legitimate great guy and still believes in Microsoft. Good interview, not very meaty but I didn’t expect that.
It’s the subtle camera angles that I come back time and time again.
:%s/back\ time/back\ for\ time/g
careful with the /g, you might end up grammar correcting the entire web – which would take forever.
Hey, best of luck for you. Maybe you will find the next Google to ‘work for’ while skimming though all that unsolicited e-mails.
+ “It’s easy to criticize startups” he says, “but it’s much harder to create one.”
Yes M. Arrington – cut startups some slack for being down.
AltaVista, Napster, Bowstreet, and Groove Networks
nuff said….just retire with your msft options…what was bowstreet really? also, groove networks? what is groove. also, how and why did altavista the best search engine for a while let google kill it.
mike
Groove was acquired by Microsoft and Bowstreet was acquired by IBM. Not too bad even if you do include AltaVista and Napster, which were both the best in their field at one point.
http://en.wikip...Groove_Networks
http://www-03.i...lease/19064.wss
Fantastic interview incl the histrionics – thanks Mike. Dodge is going to be a trailblazer wherever he goes. This is Microsoft’s loss.
Looks a bit like Bill Gates. Coincidence?
Microsoft sucks big time. Why Microsoft is not firing Robbie Bach who is managing Windows Mobile division that is failing so badly, very badly but is firing positive guy like Don Dodge. There is something very fish in Microsoft.
Don is the man. Whoever hires him wins.
I think Don should work for Intel so he can do their commercials … he’s a Rock Star.
http://www.yout...h?v=jqLPHrCQr2I
Yes, Looks like bill gates
Nice
All the best Don…keep up the good work
http://www.msof...echnologies.com
http://www.msof...ebtemplates.com
Microsoft does not innovate on the Web. They only react.
Ten years ago they had Internet Explorer, Messenger & the MSN Portal. For them that was job done.
They seriously need to develop an innovative Internet Roadmap for the Company, otherwise they will be stuck in the pit stops.
Getting rid of a smart Web guy like Don, shows just how blinked they are in dealing with a non PC based world.
Go Work for APPLE!!! =)
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What a nice guy. He clearly cares about startups and understands it well.
Dons interview on the podcast TWiST was amazing, he dropped in so many great pieces of information to help entrepreneurs.
Would love to have you in NYC on December 12th as a guest speaker Don. Email me or call the office.
What a class act. Our industry needs more people like Don.
Why not Amazon, they have a platform they spend their lives pushing to developers and is custom made for Startups, Go there?
(P.S. I do not work for Amazon, but love their platform)
You are right. I have Amazon on the list but forgot to mention them. They are the leaders in cloud computing, and have a huge following of developers. Great company!
And, an Amazon recruiter contacted me within hours of the announcement. We will be talking soon.
I’m not aware of a comparable Bizspark / startupzone type of program with Apple (unless I a mistaken) so it would be great to see this guy create one there (hint, hint).
So, did he know you were gonna put that “emperor” quote in the video?
and does he care that you did?
I didn’t know, but it is fine. Mike is always playing tricks on people. If he wasn’t doing TechCrunch he would be doing Punk’d with Ashton Kutcher.
A while ago Mike went to an interview with Google’s Eric Schmidt wearing a Bing T shirt. He returned the favor to Steve Ballmer later.
You have to be on the lookout whenever Mike is around…something is going to happen. I like that about him.
Don
Great Mike , I like the Don’s philosophy on ex-employer , I like to see him as Management Guru of Start up as great as Peter Drucker and bridge gap between Startups and Old Guy
Suggestion. Get a mini boom mic (directional) so that the person you interview can be heard. This would lower your volume (proximity effect) and boost the interviewee.
that would be awesome if the flip had a mic in feature.
Go get Kodaj Zi8 for external mic option. The sound is in fact more important then IQ most of the time.
I had the pleasure of meeting Don about 3 years ago. I reached out by email and heard back from him within hours. Since that day, Don has been instrumental in our business here in Boston, very involved, very nurturing to the business as well. If it weren’t for Don, CitySquares would not be here today. And I believe that in my bones. Don also inspires me as an entrepreneur to be more vocal and transparent as an entrepreneur, to inspire other entrepreneurs.
I think this video captures the man behind Don Dodge. While he’s a hell of a networker, and very plugged in across the industry on all shores, Don is also just good chap. I’m glad you posted this video, because the eulogy last week just didn’t do a good job of showing who he really is. This video did. Nice work Mike.
Ha! I just watched the video. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was literally “biting my tongue” several times during the interview. Pretty funny!
I guess that is where the expression comes from…”biting my tongue” to prevent me from saying something I might regret later.
Thanks for the lunch, and for letting me hang out in your conference room between meetings.
Don Dodge
Tech Crunch – check your levels!
That was great! For the first 5 minutes I was saying to myself that I would like to see Don go to Google and then Michael started moving the camera.
Don, we wish you the best of luck and you are a true class act and we look forward to the day you are emperor.
Sorry, don’t get it the canonization of Don.
Nice guy, fan of start ups, good at his job evangelizing Microsoft technologies.
And…?
I actually picked up something useful and actionable from the video on building my company further. Thanks Mike & Don.