Fireside Chat with Dan Sharpio, CEO of Glowforge (Ubiquity Dev Summit 2016)

Recently, I thought what was the last thing I really got excited about.  It was preordering a Glowforge during its original crowdfunding campaign .  Alot has happened since that preorder.  The most devestating was when they made the decision to push back the shipping date due to major issues with their power supply. 

My background is in supply chain in the electronics industry.  Trust me, it’s an extemely critical component.   Any of you who were upset over the delay:  You do now want your investment to fail you within 24, 12 or even 6 months after you started to rely on it?  It’s always better to be late and disappoint your customer then to ship a poor quality product. 

People will alway remember poor quality, they will forgive and forget.

I haven’t been following the progress or the forums so started to search found this insightful interview with Dan Sharpio, CEO

Fireside Chat with Dan Sharpio, CEO of Glowforge (Ubiquity Dev Summit 2016)

It’s worth the the hour long interview!   It wasn’t really about the product but more of the business around managing and working a start up.  There’s so many backers who are still eagerly awaiting this product, so much so, I was shocked to hear statesments of backer sacrifices:

• This is the car I sold to buy my Glowforge 
• Oh yeah me too, this is the car I sold to buy my Glowforge
• I took out a loan against my 401K
• I already let my boss know I will give my notice when I get this so I can go and start my company

As a CEO owner, the risk is more then just releasing a product, it’s also on his  and the company’s reputation.  He absolutely cannot allow a subpar product to be seeded into the market.  If it fails, there won’t be any future business and support for any of us.

This one statement resonates with me:

Realignment of where some of the skills that made you successful at a large company may in fact contribute to your failure to a small company. 

Then summarized an example of how to manage a beaucracy effectively.  How that is a core skill in a large company to manage your career motives, agendas and directions to make everyone to know how much value you give to the company.  In a smaller company, you create you value for yourself by making your company valuable.

After listening to this interview, what I realized was that I lost passion because I chose not to continue learning and trying to grow.  I was waiting for something to happen that’s completely out of my control.   

Sometimes you need to listen to a innovator who is walking the path that you want to take.  I hope to meet Mr. Sharpio one day on a professional level.    

(Actually maybe I shouldn’t.  I’m sure I’d have illogical geek fangirl moment)