Comments
Would you turn down $5 billion for your company?
I subscribe to the treehugger newsletter and last week, read an article about an Australian who was offered $5 billion for his land - turns out he lives on a stockpile of Uranium. He turned it down. He did not want his land turning into a mine and felt he owed it to his community to not sell.
I went to a seminar last week, the guy discussed the sale of his first company and how he agonised over selling it to the ‘right’ people. His accountant said ‘if they have a checkbook, they are the right people’.
These days, a lot of web companies build to sell. A lot of small businesses become another product of a multinational. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it may not always be the right thing. And it does make you think. Would you turn down obscene amounts of money in order to keep your business or to ensure it goes to people you respect?
August 1st, 2007 at 12:52 am
I’m going to state the obvious: Money is Currency. It buys things.
The answer to: “Would you turn down obscene amounts of money in order to keep your business or to ensure it goes to people you respect?” simply depends on what you want. If there is nothing more you want then to keep your business the way it is… because have emotionally invested into it, then sure, no amount of money will be enough.
But let’s say you have other important wants. For example, if I got $5Billion for Volcanic Internet Marketing, I’d sell it in a heart-beat… because I know it will serve as fuel for the next 20 companies I will start and grow with passion.
It really is all about what we want and what we value.
~ mel
Melvin Ram
CEO, Volcanic Internet Marketing
Direct: (916) 743 9369
Email: melvin@volcanicmarketing.com
August 1st, 2007 at 8:54 am
Nat
Your posts are great. They make you think.
My analysis, if you sell make sure it is to
the right people. Good advice.
I have been on vacation recently. Excited
to read some of your posts that I missed.
Check out my car magnet for my website.
Also, had great response people would
wave and beep.
Tell me what you think?
I posted the photo on my blog.
Thanks,
Elizabeth G.
http://BookTestOnlinecom.blogspot.com
August 1st, 2007 at 3:22 pm
That’s always the question. I think it was the people who ended up selling Napster (who we all felt were ’selling out’) went on to start Skype - So you’re right, maybe the money you get for one company goes on to form more ‘good things’ so it balances out.
I just thought it was so awesome to read about a guy for who money was of little to no importance - he had everything he wanted in his land and knew no amount of money could buy that happiness.