An interesting comment on my previous post prompted me to blog the response. First of all, Anon, thanks for your wishes on my wedding. Am a punjabi, so it was days and nights of Bhangra and eating :)
VC has always been a niche industry, but there was still something in it for the smaller firms, and now I do not think this is true anymore. I think the opportunity has shrunk dramatically. Its hard to sit here and make generalizations on the demise of a whole industry, and so I will stay out of that. I just think it is way way harder to become a partner these days. Who wants to join a VC firm to stay an associate?
Now comes the fun part of the question which deals with the wisest of all thought processes, Hindsight. In hindsight, would I have taken those not-so-sexy VC offers and then traded up to better VC firms now?
Here hindsight and my present sense of where I am come together to respond with a resounding NO. Here is why it would be a bad idea to take those not-so-sexy opportunities (I do not think there were sexy or unsexy by any means, they were just not right for me):
- Two years in a job you don't like is a very high price to pay for anything. Period.
- Two years of your life doing anything that you don't like is a high price to pay in general with some exceptions
- I did not fit there, then I would have probably been not good at it
- The industry is reputation based, whatever you do, create a brand for yourselves. Taking those jobs would have been counter-productive (if I didnt fit)
- Very few people get VC jobs. Even fewer trade UP from a Tier II firm to Tier I. There is a lot of horizontal shifting but very little vertical
And then some more reasons..but I think you get the drift.
Now the second part of the question: Is it better than being one of 300-400 PMs at Google?
Are you kidding me :)? You know how amazing it is to be a PM in Google? Yes, even with the crazy matrix organization. And no, I have not drunk the Kool Aid. But think about it for a moment. Google is probably one of the most influential companies in the world. Lets say there are 5 companies in the world which are comparable in terms of impact (Tech or otherwise). Lets say each of them has on average 300 PMs (unlikely but lets take this for now).
I am one of 5x300 = 1500 folks in this world (atleast in the field of technology) who have a shot at impacting millions of life. And this is not hyperbole (or arrogance). I can't even begin to tell you how much impact each PM (in Google, you are basically the visionary on your product area) can have through their products. Even a failed product in Google is used by thousands nay... millions.
I get this chance because I work for Google. So I have to give this opportunity the respect it deserves. I am very happy that I made the choices I made. That was for most part, luck and sound advice.
Finally, I am not saying we should all become PMs in Google, there are sexier jobs in top VC firms, PE or whatever floats your boat. But for me, the sexiest job is to do what my friend A does. He bootstraps his way around, he is passionate, he works hard in a room somewhere in Menlo Park, and is slowly but inexorably building a team around him. He is building his own startup.
Damn, thats cool. I wish I had the balls to do what he is doing.
Definitely one day.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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5 comments:
"I just think it is way way harder to become a partner these days. Who wants to join a VC firm to stay an associate?"
I agree; currently it's harder to get to a partner. During the 2004-2007 time-frame, there was a 30% chance that a post-mba associate would make to a partner. Not sure how bad it is now but these things are cyclic. For instance, LSVP has doubled their team-size over the last 12 months as they raised a new fund last May.
@Google: 400 PMs and <10 VPs for Product Management. Unless you want to stay an IC-level PM, how do you rationalize that ?
"Here hindsight and my present sense of where I am come together to respond with a resounding NO. "
Agree. If the fit wasn't there, these weren't really worthwhile options.
However, it would interesting to learn about how you evaluated the fit criteria (role/responsibility, people, prestige, compensation, location ?)
"Now the second part of the question: Is it better than being one of 300-400 PMs at Google?"
Sorry if this offends you but I just hear kool-aid talking.
"I wish I had the balls to do what he is doing."
What holds you back ?
:)
- I dont need to rationalize it. PMs at Google do more than VPs do at other places. Its my experience. Unless you are here, you can hardly say its Kool Aid. You are not qualified to say so (but are welcome to anyways!) :)))
- What holds me back? Significant personal problems that I cant talk about.
Very cool, you seem to be basking in every second on job. The best that can happen to enthusiastic people.
Of the 400 PMs that are at Google, and the X% amongst these that you've interacted with, how many do you think are as enthusiastic and passionate about their job as you? Also, of the 400 who arguably really impact how millions use products, how many were actually involved in building this massive user-base? Do you think I am completely wrong when I say that you have an edge in terms of an existing ripe to be used user-base? Do you think designing products for a massive user-base is challenging or building a product that organically draws millions of users to a new product is a more challenging challenge? Don't you have a brand value that makes the challenge somewhat unchallenging at the end of the day? Would love to hear!
I totally agree with the view point "Two years in a job you don't like is a very high price to pay for anything."
During my MBA, I interned with a VC firm for 6 months. I came from a technical background and wanted to utilize my newly acquired MBA skills. My experience taught me not only about the industry but also about myself. VCs operate on the 10,000 ft view of the company and I found myself driven to the ground level every time i came across a new company. It is this realization that forced me to look out for PM jobs, that can keep me close to the product.
Agreed, VC jobs are sexy, but they can never impact users in a way that PMs do. We just have to find our "happy place", be it as a PM or a VC.
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