"I think that we’ll continue to see more companies like [Groupon] who will put us to shame a couple years from now with their rate of growth."<p>I firmly believe that this is correct. A lot of product pitches from current or previous Google employees start with the words, "there are 6.8 billion people in the world and this product solves a problem the majority of them have".<p>I think that in developing new products, we get so wrapped up in current trends and crazy valuations that we loose sight of just how quickly the majority of people continue to jump on the Internet bandwaggon.<p>A good number of folks will complete their first purchases online this holiday season, this realization alone makes me confident that the web is far from over and that there is room for a lot of bands beside 'N Sync and The Beatles.<p>While I may be tired of hearing about Groupon and their clones, I know that there are more companies just around the corner that will blow 6 Billion dollar valuations out of the water.
While trying to weasel info about the Google offer:<p>CHARLIE ROSE: So therefore, why did you choose to eliminate a Google-like proposition and incline yourself toward other propositions?<p>ANDREW MASON: It has to do with whether or not I would beat my wife.
"So we’ve put all these small kind of niche businesses on the map, whether it’s a — whether it’s a helicopter club that’s offering flying lessons, and we sell 2,500 coupons"<p>They're talking about Philip Greenspun's [1] encounter with Groupon, about which he says: "I think what this shows is that we were much worse at marketing than even we could have believed." [2]<p>[1] <a href="http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/" rel="nofollow">http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/</a><p>[2] <a href="http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2010/03/19/groupon-marketing-results/" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2010/03/19/groupon-market...</a>
I love this guy. One of my favorite startup CEOs at this point. He has a vision for splitting the world with Google and just might actually pull it off now that he's dodged the acquisition.<p>I'm just really worried he's going to get the axe. I hope his board isn't stupid.