[Jach]

There's a kind of shutting down not covered here: getting acquired. Too often a phrase similar to "our incredible journey"[0] appears, in which case as an end-user you know the time for enjoying the service is at an end just as surely as if the startup went bankrupt.

[0] https://ourincrediblejourney.tumblr.com/

[hodgesrm]

It's pretty easy for founders/execs at that point to make regrettable comments along the line of 'this is going to be great for our customers'.

Sometimes being honest and taking care of your customer/employees/other stakeholders requires you to say "I don't know" or "this will be a change" instead of what you think they might like to hear.

[ChrisSD]

It's not always possible to make such statements, depending on the terms of the buyout. That goes doubly so if the founders/execs have a continuing relationship with the buyers. Even if it turns out to be a short term relationship.

[Dylan16807]

"I don't know" shouldn't be hard to say. If the terms require you to actively lie, well, that's shameful to accept.

[quickthrower2]

Maybe you need like a warrant canary. "This service is great for customers" is removed from a url once that is no longer true.

[smacktoward]

It can be hard to hear what those other stakeholders are saying over all the noise the dump truck full of money makes when it starts backing up toward you.

[gitgud]

That's a great website, I check it every now and then for a laugh. It's funny how similar every company portrays the acquisition experience.

It's almost always; a positive, reflective experience which dismisses any consequences to end users...

[umichguy]

There's probably a template which rearranges the words a bit and fills in your company specific info. It's going to be aahmazing!

[ralphc]

Is Tumblr's acquisition by Yahoo, then Verizon, on there?