Song of The Day: Back In The Saddle - Artist: Aerosmith
First things first, “eolaughlen” is now active again for AIM, but e-mail to it is still inactive, so please do not send e-mail to it :).
For those that have recently left AOL (i.e., check out here, there, and everywhere - sung to the Beatles tune), there was an inspiring article in the Washington Post yesterday about some ex-AOLers that took their energy and talent and started a local Washington-based company: Clearspring Technologies, Inc. There are also other companies and ex-AOLers mentioned. The article reads as a semi-version of “Where are they now?”
Quote from the article:
The former AOLers have become the darlings of local venture capitalists. Three of the region’s largest venture capital deals in the past six months involved companies led by people with AOL on their résumés. The collection of businesses is creating an ecosystem that some say could one day give lasting permanence to the region’s Web industry, much like the way long-distance giant MCI helped establish the local telecom industry and Marriott Corp. made Washington a focal point for hospitality companies.
When you bring in talent with this kind of expertise, that can really turbocharge a company,” said Philip L. Bronner, a partner with the investment firm Novak Biddle Venture Partners. “New investment in the wireless and consumer Internet areas is really changing this region. Add talent, and that really allows you to create interesting companies.
Hmm…. Now there’s an idea….