Oh, and especially striking is the issue of moderators, crucial to the platform, remaining unpaid as a risk highlighted in an IPO filing.
This situation raises a fundamental question for founders: How do we secure the investment needed for growth without compromising the core values and community that define our projects?
Seeing a platform potentially jeopardize its user base and community support at the altar of investor returns is a cautionary tale and not new, but it seems tech is only accelerating it.
I’m facing this turmoil firsthand. The path from startup to scale involves navigating investor demands, but at what cost? How do we avoid making the same compromises at the cost of our users and partners? It feels impossible.
This tension is too real to me, and I think it shows up as an outright defensiveness when I talk to investors. Maybe I'm too emotional?
I’m reaching out for insights on maintaining this balance. Any advice or experiences shared would be invaluable.
At the end of day I think it's worth reminding investors, regardless if going as IPO or even in the situation of being bought out as a company, that at the core are users and those who contribute their time for free, and if they (at the core) find the page has turned to undo their efforts or hinder their continued efforts - investors hoping the change will bring new users isn't always a good bet, not to mention the sour taste of those who leave will inevitably reverberate in the real world