James Currier

I think in the end, we had 100 million people take that test. So it took us like four hours to make. It was like another experiment. We just kept experimenting. And then we were able to raise the money, and we didn't understand network effects. This was the big aha. Network effects didn't come until 2004.

I think in the end, we had 100 million people take that test. So it took us like four hours to make. It was like another experiment. We just kept experimenting. And then we were able to raise the money, and we didn't understand network effects. This was the big aha. Network effects didn't come until 2004.

So we took off in February 2000, and then we didn't really understand network effects until 2004, and that's a whole different story.

So we took off in February 2000, and then we didn't really understand network effects until 2004, and that's a whole different story.

You need retention. So we were building self-assessment tests. So you had to put out a new self-assessment test every week. And this is the business of fresh produce. It's like being an e-commerce vendor or something like that. Or your job, you have to put out a new podcast. This is what we call the business of fresh produce. And it's a manufacturing line.

You need retention. So we were building self-assessment tests. So you had to put out a new self-assessment test every week. And this is the business of fresh produce. It's like being an e-commerce vendor or something like that. Or your job, you have to put out a new podcast. This is what we call the business of fresh produce. And it's a manufacturing line.

And it's a business, but it's a hard business. But it was working for us because a lot of people were coming. And so we could just put up ads. We got profitable for one month. And then we moved out to San Francisco because I couldn't hire anyone in Boston. We started this in Boston and we just couldn't hire anybody who knew anything about anything. And so we had to move out here for hiring.

And it's a business, but it's a hard business. But it was working for us because a lot of people were coming. And so we could just put up ads. We got profitable for one month. And then we moved out to San Francisco because I couldn't hire anyone in Boston. We started this in Boston and we just couldn't hire anybody who knew anything about anything. And so we had to move out here for hiring.

And so of the 14 people, 13 of them moved. The 14th person Who did not move is a woman named Mel Schneeberger, who changed her name to her husband's name, Mel Robbins. And she's now the number one female podcast in the world.

And so of the 14 people, 13 of them moved. The 14th person Who did not move is a woman named Mel Schneeberger, who changed her name to her husband's name, Mel Robbins. And she's now the number one female podcast in the world.

Right. She was the one who didn't move with us. Anyway, she kept iterating, too. And now she is where she is. So she's fantastic. And so we moved out to California. We got an office and then the fresh produce kind of started running out. There was no network effect. There's no retention. People would come, they would enjoy, they would send to their friends.

Right. She was the one who didn't move with us. Anyway, she kept iterating, too. And now she is where she is. So she's fantastic. And so we moved out to California. We got an office and then the fresh produce kind of started running out. There was no network effect. There's no retention. People would come, they would enjoy, they would send to their friends.

We would get new users and then everyone would kind of leave. The internet only had 600 million people at the time. We registered 150 million of them. Incredible. But they would only come and stay for one or two or three hours and then they would leave. So then we're like, okay, let's build out a matchmaking site where at least people will come and stay for three, four, five months.

We would get new users and then everyone would kind of leave. The internet only had 600 million people at the time. We registered 150 million of them. Incredible. But they would only come and stay for one or two or three hours and then they would leave. So then we're like, okay, let's build out a matchmaking site where at least people will come and stay for three, four, five months.

Okay, now let's build out a social network. And there was no name social network for it. We called it a member directory where people could see each other and comment and share and that kind of thing. And then we built out an ad network, which was like a marketplace, which had a network effect. But we still didn't understand what we were doing.

Okay, now let's build out a social network. And there was no name social network for it. We called it a member directory where people could see each other and comment and share and that kind of thing. And then we built out an ad network, which was like a marketplace, which had a network effect. But we still didn't understand what we were doing.

There was a moment we were running out of money again, and we were 60 days away. So the first time we literally got the money on a Friday, we would have missed payroll for the final seven people on Monday. So we were 48 hours away from running out of money. And then we were 60 days away later and we saw another website that was non-competitive with us doing something.

There was a moment we were running out of money again, and we were 60 days away. So the first time we literally got the money on a Friday, we would have missed payroll for the final seven people on Monday. So we were 48 hours away from running out of money. And then we were 60 days away later and we saw another website that was non-competitive with us doing something.

And we just copied their feature onto our website. And we made $88,000 in one month, which doubled the revenue of the business. And we got profitable and we never looked back. And then we were profitable every month for 36 months. And we got up to about 32, 40 million in there. And then monster.com offered to buy us out and we sold to them.

And we just copied their feature onto our website. And we made $88,000 in one month, which doubled the revenue of the business. And we got profitable and we never looked back. And then we were profitable every month for 36 months. And we got up to about 32, 40 million in there. And then monster.com offered to buy us out and we sold to them.