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Comment by breck | Hacker News Reader

This article digs up some interesting events from the past, but it has a negative spin so definitely also read Lefkofsky's own words:

http://www.lefkofsky.com/blog/when-you-dont-know-what-to-say

He seems both honest and it's evident he's determined and learns a lot from experience.

He's clearly the type of entrepreneur that VCs always ask for: the "go big or go home" type. Seems like his early investors didn't grasp that.

I wonder if he'll distribute any of his Groupon proceeds to some of the investors who backed him early. The ones who didn't turn on him when things went south, anyway.

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There is a clear difference between "go big or go home" and "pump it & dump it". I am astonished people don't seem to see the difference.

There is a saying that when you scheme to make yourself and the company successful its called 'leadership' and when you scheme to make only yourself successful its called 'politics.' (some cynics add that if you make the company successful but not yourself its called 'stupidity' :-)

The exhortation 'go big or go home' is clearly a challenge to 'win' at all costs. How people internalize that challenge reflects on their character and their moral compass. Its all about what someone considers and 'acceptable cost' at that point.

Sure, Groupon could go bust.

Me, I have no idea what will happen.

On the one hand, Groupon resembles a lot of fads. On the other hand, I've admired their execution and innovation over the years.

I can't predict whether they will succeed better than a coin flip.

If you can, put some money on it. :)

I think that people are aware of the distinction, but they feel that Groupon, while it might have been a "go big" hope, it is distinctly leaning towards the "go home" while at the same time it is trying to IPO. This means that some now interpret it as a "pump it & dump it" scheme, especially given that the major founders are selling stock by the hundreds of millions of dollars.

I'm surprised this is getting downvoted.

Before I posted it, I did a tiny bit of research on InnerWorkings and ECHO. They are the 2 main companies Lefkofsky has been involved with in the past 10 years. Both are public companies, with around half a billion in annual revenue each, both are profitable, and both seem to have many large, satisfied customers.

If you're going to judge an artist, would you look at their recent paintings or what they made in elementary school?

People downvote when they don't agree with what you said, which is not what the downvote is really for (filtering unhelpful posts), but there you go.

Thanks for the useful links.

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