Month: December 2013

Last year, our city and country was rocked by the tragedy at the Boston Marathon just a few blocks away from my office. It was a very sad day we will never forget. 

I vowed to run the following year and I’m making good on that promise. It will be my very first marathon. I am not trying to break any speed records but hope to finish strong and healthy. I’ve been running and taking care of myself.

I also wanted to run for a non profit. My friend Dennis Crowley (cofounder/ceo at foursquare) connected me to the fine folks at Camp Interactive. Dennis has been a supporter of Camp Interactive over the years and ran last year Boston Marathon on their behalf. 

So this year I’m on the Camp Interactive team as well. It’s a wonderful, important program that introduces the creative power of technology to inner city, at risk youth. I am inspired by their passion and the work that they do. It’s wonderful.

I am running this upcoming Boston Marathon for my city and my community. And now I’m also running for the kids of Camp Interactive. I would love your help and support. I’m starting things off with the first donation and would be extremely grateful for any amount you might give. 

Thanks so much.

If you follow this blog at all you will know that I am an admirer of Amazon. A company born on the Internet and led by one of the most compelling founders maybe ever.

The company has this crazy and rare combination of risk taking, operational excellence and long term thinking. It’s fucking extraordinary.

And I routinely validate their value in this world. I encourage startups to leverage Amazon Web Services. Our family routinely has Amazon deliveries every month. And I respect their success and ambition.

Yet I do find myself torn.

I make a point to buy more things from smaller boutique places online. I loved using Svpply (our portfolio company before being acquired by eBay). It would lead me to all sorts of places that I hadn’t heard of previously.

I also find myself buying locally when traveling from small independent shops whether in the Mission district in SF or Brooklyn NY or Cambridge MA.

That tension between the new vs past and big vs small is a big deal with me.

Somehow I admire the future but appreciate the past. And i suppose I’m drawn to pull for the little guy/gal whenever possible.