| I worked with Josh for over five years at Grooveshark. The day I applied for the job, he spent several hours pitching the company to me with rampant enthusiasm in hopes that I'd take a risk (and a huge pay cut) and come work with the team. From the day I took the job, I watched Josh tirelessly run through his pitch time and time again, always with the same attention to detail, and the same level of genuine interest in getting to know each candidate. He was frenetic and unflinching in his desire to succeed. Josh cared about his team, and he never let the negative chains of events that plagued Grooveshark over the years get the best of him. He kept a sticker on his desk that said, "this too shall pass", and even in the worst times, he'd give a wry smile and crack a joke to let everyone know that things weren't as bad as they seemed. I spoke with Josh at a bar downtown about two weeks ago, and he was again in good spirits. He had a new idea for a startup that he was preparing to begin work on in earnest, and he seemed genuinely excited about his path forward. In talking about Grooveshark, it was evident that closing that chapter in his life was a weight off his shoulders. Needless to say, I'm extremely sad to see Josh go. He was a dear friend and a hell of a human being. He opened countless doors for hundreds of people and helped create a true startup community here in Gainesville. Josh, you will be sorely missed. |
Such a sad day.