I know many talented accomplished people: politicans, writers, partners, choreographers, entrepreneurs, doctors, artists. I know several people who started their own businesses, made their companies successful, then sold off with hefty gains. Few career successes surprise me anymore. But when a friend of mine sold his company to Google, I did a serious double-take. Holy shit, holy shit!
When I first heard about his company Like.com, I didn’t really think much of it. I figured it was like any other online retail site. Clearly I have no business in the venture capital world! I am totally thrilled for their success. Here is the letter posted on their home page.
Like has been acquired by Google.
Since 2006, Like.com has been moving the frontiers of eCommerce forward one step at a time. We were the first to bring visual search to shopping, the first to build an automated cross-matching system for clothing and more. We didn’t stop there, and don’t have plans to stop now. We see joining Google as a way to supersize our vision and supercharge our passion. This is something we are truly excited about.
Along the way we built a team that was not just hard working but obsessed with the mission at hand. We are so very proud of this team, and they deserve all the credit for how far we have come. In addition, there are many folks outside the company who have been pivotal to our success. All the Like.com alumni are incredible folks who left our little company better than they found it. Our investors were patient, insightful, and supportive of our plans to build a bigger platform. Our merchant partners were cutting edge and innovative, and in many cases they were willing to try new approaches and new technologies to better the user experience.
Creating a startup is like painting an Impressionist canvas: on the one hand you try and reflect what the world looks like, and on the other you try and enrich–and maybe even change–it with your creation. I think we achieved a little bit of both at Like.com.
Sincerely,
Munjal
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