The decision to reject the offer was stressful, as many believed we should sell the company, and I realized I hadn't effectively communicated our mission to the team. Turning down Yahoo's billion dollar offer was painful because it led to a significant loss of trust within the company, resulting in many employees leaving due to a lack of belief in our vision.

Going public is awful; it consumes a significant amount of your time and diverts focus from building a great company.

The emotional response from employees during the acquisition announcement was intense, as many had invested years into the company and had their identities tied to its success.

I had to balance transparency with kindness when discussing the company's future with my team, especially as we grew larger.

In a late-stage company, selling becomes more complex as you must also focus on scaling processes and hiring executives.

I relied on advisors and therapy-like discussions to navigate the complexities of the acquisition process.

I was forced out as CEO after a period of rapid growth, which was influenced by market changes and compliance issues that made investors nervous. David, the CEO, focused on attacking me for six months, which ultimately drove the company into the ground.

Engaging in acquisition conversations can be distracting and demoralizing. Founders should only entertain such discussions if they are genuinely willing to sell the company.

I communicated transparently with my team and investors about our financial situation, ensuring everyone understood the challenges we faced.