What’s Next?
by Paul Carr
So, as promised, here’s an update on what I’m doing next. It’s pretty exciting. [Update: so exciting, in fact, that while I was writing this post, Henry Blodget scooped me on my own news.]
I’m starting a new company, with financial backing from Tony Hsieh (Zappos, Delivering Happiness) and Michael Arrington’s CrunchFund. We’re not ready to say too much about the specifics right now but — spoiler alert! — it will directly address an issue I’ve written passionately about for both TechCrunch and the Guardian.
It should be an interesting adventure, given I literally wrote the book on start-up failure. With that in mind, I’m going to be writing a start-up diary about the creation of the company. It will appear weekly on The Guardian, with more regular updates here on the blog (and of course on Twitter).
Some other details…
The company will be based in Las Vegas, in support of Tony’s “Downtown Project” which aims to attract innovative and creative companies to downtown LV. Since writing my month-long Vegas diary for the HuffPost, I’ve become addicted to the city and fascinated by Tony’s plans to redevelop/reinvigorate the downtown area. Simply put, I can’t think of a more exciting place in America to start a company.
Having Michael’s backing through CrunchFund is awesome for two reasons. First, I love working with him and am really happy to have the opportunity to do so again so soon after the whole TechCrunch/AOL debacle. And second, half of the money in the CrunchFund comes from AOL. I mean — ha! AOL! I asked Mike if he wanted to comment for this post. He wrote…
“Paul has managed to be successful at failing in almost everything he’s done professionally. It is my sincere hope that his experience, his passion, or just dumb luck will lead him to fail to fail this time.”
Certainly over the past few years I’ve spent a lot of time examining my previous failures, repairing various character flaws (particularly those related to alcohol) and generally trying to figure out how not to be such a total fucking dick. As such, this adventure will either be the culmination of all that work and self-examination, or the final nail in my coffin.
Let’s find out together, shall we?
Wish me luck.
With all of the utmost sincerity, I wish you the absolute best. I don’t know you, but I know your articles, and I know I loved them. So as much as a stranger can, I wish you the best. The Japanese have a saying I think is much better than “good luck”. When about to embark on a new endeavor, they say “ganbatte” (頑張って). It means to try your absolute best, give it everything you have. Yup, they have a verb for that. So ganbatte!
Whatever the Japanese is for thanks; that.
This ought to be a wild ride! Best of luck and thanks for taking us along. Arrington's comment and your last paragraph are perfect.
Good luck Paul. Ultimately, blogs are all about writing, and that, you can do!
This is the best startup announcement I've ever read
Good luck Paul !
Good luck Paul. I was reading the BI story and then saw your tweet. Pretty hysterical.
Good luck! Can't wait to see what you're up to.
good luck Paul, can't wait to see what you are up to
From one person with the surname Carr to another, good luck!
Good luck mate – stay dry and you WILL succeed
Great news Paul. Congratulations! You have great investors and advisors in Tony Hsieh and Mike Arrington. I'm sure you will do well.
I like the idea of a startup diary. I mentioned to Erick that TC should do a startup diary from one entrepreneur, and a VC "day in the life" column. Good stuff.
I will be reading your stuff and cheering you on. Very excited for you.
Don Dodge
Thanks Don — really appreciate the kind words from you, and of course everyone else here.
Good Luck Indeed, Paul!
Looking forward to the details and good luck!
Go Paul go
dude, you look like Michael Stipe.
Is it the hair?
Congrats and good luck.
Flailing and failing, we have so much in common but then nothing really good comes easily. Just need to keep it fun. I suspect, given your past and your associates, you will do just that!
Good luck, and enjoy!
This is the nicest post you've ever written about a startup.
Ha. I should probably have more clearly declared the conflict.
Congrats Paul and wishing you the best on the new company.
I'm thinking you plan to build a system to measure conflicts of interests across the press. Think about it as Klout scores for conflicts of interest. Shit man just call it Konflict and be done with it! That sounds so cool, German.
Anywho, have fun and let me know if I can help with anything.
Wow best of luck paul. I can't wait to hear about the adventures, debauchery and what not. Oh yah there's a product behind all of this?
Good luck, Paul!
That great! But I can't imagine how your going to build a business around calling out the douchery of Julian Assange.
Best of luck to fail to fail. Happy to be able to continue enjoying your writing style.
Watch out; sounds like a modern day Mel Brooks movie in the making…
Best of luck, Bialystock and Bloom
Brilliant, Paul! Congrats.
[...] Specifically, Carr has raised funding from Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and from the CrunchFund, which is run by TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington and counts AOL as one of its major investors. Business Insider broke the news, and Carr confirmed it on his blog. [...]
Paul -
Congrats on the new adventure. And a very tasteful announcement. Vegas is certainly the place to gamble on failing at failing.
-j
[...] TechCrunch staff member Paul Carr announced today on his blog that he was starting a new company based in Las Vegas, Nevada with investments from Zappos CEO Tony [...]
Go for it Paul! It’s not LasVegasCities is it?
Lol!
all the best! love what you do!
[...] membre du personnel TechCrunch Paul Carr a annoncé aujourd’hui sur son blog qu’il allait commencer une nouvelle société basée à Las Vegas, au Nevada avec des [...]
What are the other reasons for choosing vegas?
Nice to see you right back at it and a pleasure to find you'll be back writing for the Grauniad again. Looking forward to it.
Best of all is that you said you'd have an announcement in seven days, and you did it. True, it's just an announcement of an announcement, but it counts.
Can't wait to see what will be doing.
Good luck, looking froward to the weekly updates!
I have no idea what to expect, but for some reason I am very excited. Maybe it’s the part about sticking it to ALL. Can’t wait to see what you’ll be up to. Break a leg!
Good Luck ..!
First.
Waiting for more info.
I need a new job. Do you need a new writer?
<<>>
want to pay me to fail? good luck! I'll follow along if you keep it interesting
[...] membre du personnel TechCrunch Paul Carr a annoncé aujourd’hui sur son blog qu’il allait commencer une nouvelle société basée à Las Vegas, au Nevada avec des [...]
tear it up!
Wishing you all the luck in your new venture Paul!
…
"Fail to fail" is just too awesome. Congrats Paul, let us know if we at SoftTech can be of help
.
Thanks Jeff — and I certainly will.
[...] 另外，还没有更多的详细信息，Paul Carr 本人在 自己的网站做了一些说明，点击进入。 [...]
Can't wait to see what you come up with. Watching from the sidelines… Thailand sidelines, that is.
[...] Carr isn’t saying exactly whаt thе nеw company wіll dο, bυt hе dіd ѕау hе plans tο chronicle thе experience o… [...]
if you're actually solving a problem, why not just tell people what it's about?
Good luck then. Hard to think it will be anything but when you've got backing from Tony & Mike though.
Failing is merely not getting the results you wanted. Its also the route to success. Keep failing Paul. I'm watching, learning and hoping you succeed.
Best of luck, chap. I am wondering whether making this an anonymous comment might have been a tongue-in cheek way to nod to what I think it might be about? If one can nod with one's tongue. In one's cheek. Which one probably can't.
Best of luck Paul, and congrats on the great backers!
Never a dull moment with you! Good luck on the (ad)venture.
[...] Next? (Paul Carr/Bringing Something To The Party) Paul Carr / Bringing Something To The Party:What’s Next? — So, as promised, here’s an update on what I’m doing next. [...]
[...] TechCrunch staff member Paul Carr announced today on his blog that he was starting a new company based in Las Vegas, Nevada with investments from Zappos CEO Tony [...]
I’ll put my money on a book publishing or book rights selling related company. I very much enjoyed your posts regarding the publishing industry on TechCrunch. I have a personal interest in this industry as my wife is a successful author, and I’m always thinking about how to fix it. If my hunch is right and you want to exchange notes drop me note.
Paul dont fuck around too much this time bro
Good luck! Up next, I will be getting a latte. Just in case you were wondering. I assume you were.
[...] he founded and sold to AOL. Within days he turns around and starts Uncrunched. In the same vain Paul Carr leaves as well and starts a mystery company with funding from, yes you guessed it Arrington’s [...]
Congrats, Paul!!! Wish you Hap
[...] Paul Carr has founded a new business of his own. Details are sparse on the nature of the business, or indeed even the business’s name, but it [...]
“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” ~ Aristotle
Well, you’ll certainly get enough publicity, so this venture will live or die on whether it is any good.
Yep — no excuses!
[...] announced his new venture on his blog Friday, noting that it’s being funded with seed money from CrunchFund — which, while [...]
Great news! Looking forward to the updates..
[...] What’s Next? | Bringing Something To The Party [...]
So you are working for AOL again?
[...] Next? (Paul Carr/Bringing Something To The Party) Paul Carr / Bringing Something To The Party:What’s Next? — So, as promised, here’s an update on what I’m doing next. [...]
[...] address an issue I’ve written passionately about for both TechCrunch and the Guardian,” he wrote. Tony Hseih (Zappos) and Arrington’s CrunchFund (which is partially funded by $10 million [...]
Best of luck and don't stop blogging!
Will you continue blogging? In Techcrunch? On your own? In Michael Arington's new blog Uncrunched?
I want to work at your startup. Are you hiring?
Looking forward to hearing more. Good luck with the venture! And glad to hear you're going to be part of the Downtown Project – a great initiative.
Definitely good luck Paul!
[...] in what we’re doing. Except for us: we are becoming experts as we do this.” Come join us, Paul Carr did. This entry was posted in Long Stuff and tagged Downtown Las Vegas. Bookmark the permalink. [...]
Good luck in your startup.
I say you have been smart in making the suspense grow…
As De niro says in "Meet the parents" : I will be watching you
You did a crap job at Techcrunch, no value, insight or intellect behind your babbling posts. What makes you think you will succeed in the startup world?. [Oh, and you mean business NOT party]. You cheapen the tech sector. You're noise. It's won't easy and p.s. your either born an entrepreneur or your not, you can't wake up one day to pretend you are now an entrepreneur. Give me a break.
"your either born an entrepreneur or your not"
You're. YOU'RE.
Your comments on my intellect and my writing are duly noted.
Don't listen to illiterate trolls like that cretin (not that you ever would).
Entrepreneurs are not born – it's a state of mind. And failure is after all, as the cliche says, the greatest teacher in the world.
As a fellow Brit, I admire your making it over the pond and wish you the very best of luck in your new venture and will be following it with great interest.
LOL – the first comment HAD TO be a troll
Tech writer turned entrepreneur – if there's a tech bubble, you've just added contributed a bunch of hot air to it.
Actually, it's comedy writer, turned entrepreneur, turned (non-tech) writer, turned entrepreneur turned entrepreneur, turned tech writer, turned tech writer, turned entrepreneur. You missed at least 2/3 of my failures in your snarky little comment. Try harder.
good luck !
will follow every step .
and congrats on getting funding !