Monitor110: Closing a Chapter

Some of my friends and readers have already heard the news, that the Board of Monitor110 has decided to cease operations. It was a hard decision and certainly a sad one at that. Monitor110 was one of my first early-stage investments, and one which I spent a lot of time trying to make work. Mistakes abound, mistakes that I wouldn't make today having become a much more experienced investor and entrepreneur since my original investment and involvement. To say that I learned a lot from the experience is the understatement of the century, and I will write a series of posts outlining my learnings, the good, the bad and the ugly, from every facet of the company's conception, rise and fall.

My life changed dramatically through Monitor110, due to the people I met (employees, investors, customers, advisors, other entrepreneurs and vendors), the things I did (raise money, structure deals, recruit, do business development deals) and the lessons I learned (too numerous to detail here). It also was an engine to get me even more involved in early-stage investing and advising, an activity that has become my principal vocation over the past three years. It also spurred me on to blogging, enriching my life as an outlet for self-expression, idea sharing and as tool for meeting amazing people, seeing deals and building community. As disappointing as failure feels, my life is permanently changed for the better due to my involvement with the company and its constituencies. I am a better investor, a better adviser and perhaps better in touch with my own strengths and weaknesses as a result.

More later. And thanks to all those who have sent me kind notes of support. I really appreciate it.

Comments

[Andy Swan]

Class act, Roger.

Thanks for giving us all a LOT to learn from. You're an amazing angel investor and I know you have one HUGE score as an entrepreneur in your future as well.

Thanks again!

[proales]

What is happening to the assets? Has that been decided yet?

[Rich]

...and one other point: our industry is better because you are a part of it! All the factors that brought you to it and aligned to make you a key contributor to it are appreciated by those who know you.

[Sean]

That's the great thing about investing in early stage companies: if you are passionate about an idea or an opportunity, even when things don't work out, it is almost impossible not to be significantly 'enriched' in other important ways as you highlight above. Good to see that this seems to have been your experience as well.