[beachstartup]

i'm running a $2 million and growing company, and i can say that if you're doing $10 million dollars in 2 years (TWO YEARS) and think you have a "lack of technical and managerial skills" you are being intellectually dishonest with yourself, and possibly being disingenuous to your audience here.

from what we've seen and what we've heard, basically starting at $1 million/year in revenues, you will hit a serious new set of problems (some call these inflection points) at every doubling thereafter (i.e., 2M, 4M, 8M, 16M)

obviously there are exceptions (some businesses are simply born to be able to handle massive amounts of revenue in a flat manner) but basically, every time a business doubles, the problems change. this doesn't mean you're incompetent, or that you lack skills.

[methehack]

I agree that obviously they're doing a lot right. But I agree with the OP that revenue scale, organizational scale, and technical scale are all really different. It sounds like they've gone as far as they can with a handful of people. I think they're probably right that if they don't scale, someone will eat their lunch (maybe more likely after this post). I also think asking for help when you feel you are over your head is an excellent sign of some kind of maturity not everyone has.

Have you guys (talking to the OP here) thought about reaching out to 37signals for mentoring/advice? They seem to know or at least think a lot about avoiding VC and bootstrapping. They also seem very plugged in.

Part of what you guys are feeling might be the lack of support/advice/mentoring from investors. For that matter, you might consider looking at a relationship with a VC you think you can trust that doesn't involve financial investment (at least not yet). They may be willing to get involved just for mentoring without any financial obligation on the chance that when and if you do need funding they will be first in line at a shot. Maybe.

[TheHydroImpulse]

I'd avoid 37signals. While they have bootstrapped, they haven't grown very fast, at all. 10M in 2 years is really fast, so they'd need someone who could deal with that kind of quick scale.

[methehack]

I think 37signals would say they've grown like they've wanted to while retaining complete control and building a company they want to keep working at. I don't think they've been after the most rapid growth possible, but sustainable growth that lets them call the shots.

That said, you totally have a point. Maybe they're not the best for consulting with for rapid, head over heals growth.

There is a case to be made here that social print studio should take investment at this point. They have product fit, and now they want a sold or dominant market position. It's a good moment for them and they could probably get pretty favorable terms. Further, they might not be able to achieve a sustainable market position without investment. That's probably the real question.

[benjaminlotan]

yeah, i mean, i know what i;m doing by following instinct... but really at this scale... all decisions seem wrong. we truly have no one in the company who has been here before, and that is a problem.

[jpdoctor]

> we truly have no one in the company who has been here before, and that is a problem.

I have bad news: Nobody has been there before.

Perhaps they have managed $10M rev companies before, but they haven't managed your $10M company. No matter what, the prescription is going to be the same:

1. Make serious, solid decisions,

2. Get some of the right

3. Get some of them wrong

4. Course-correct the wrong ones.

I'm taking a wild guess here, but is there any chance the real problem is that you are a bunch of friends? ie, that there is no one with final authority? If so, that will not be solved with a hire.

Anyway, good luck. We should all have such high-quality problems. (btw, currently bootstrapped to 1/10th your number. Prior company founded was an $80M VC-funded company.)

[beachstartup]

one of your challenges is that at this point, anyone who is interested in helping you, is also the kind of person who wants to get rich off of your hard work (aka ownership in your company). not to say that they won't work hard themselves, but incentives are incentives.

just be careful when you talk to private equity, investment banking and growth capital folks and do not give up ownership of your business easily, if at all.

if they haven't hit you up yet, they certainly will after your posting this. like moths to a flame, they will appear. or maybe wolves to a kill. or vultures.

be especially suspicious of companies that wish to incorporate your firm before you're ready.

also beware of competitors or "consulting firms" calling you up to find out more about your firm for the purposes of a "purchase or partnership" who really just want to squeeze out as much info about you as they can before never calling back.

either way make sure you have good legal representation.

[benjaminlotan]

wow, you totally called it! already got on the phone with someone wanting to take things over and do crazy things. shady people ;-) Thanks, i'll be careful. appreciate the advice. I've kept close control thus far and have not wanted to raise money. Hope the right person might come into the picture. Already happy to get a couple genuine emails. cheers!

[swombat]

What you're looking for is a mentor, not a hire. You need someone who's been around the block to give you pointers and illuminate your blind spots. You're clearly doing very, very well already and should be proud of it. Don't let yourself feel like an impostor. You're not. You've earned your success.

[ukemma]

Are you guys a platform or do you do the printing and packaging in-house? I hear most social photo co's outsource printing.

[read]

It would be ingenious to advertise job postings where you claim to be incompetent. It would appear to hard workers as one of those truly rare opportunities they simply can't miss and start lining up.

[beachstartup]

from my first post:

> and possibly being disingenuous to your audience here

honestly i don't believe this awe-shucks bullshit for a second, especially from someone who built a $10 million company in 2 years.

[jakejake]

Your company sounds like a fun, wacky place to work!