Thoughts about my free iphone app - WhatsApp
Feb 20, 2014, 8:17 pm
#77
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,305
did you ever think that it could end up being sold for 19B?
Let's hope that fb doesn't ruin a great app.
lol ... just read your current post ... very funny and nice to hear that!
-David
Let's hope that fb doesn't ruin a great app.
lol ... just read your current post ... very funny and nice to hear that!
-David
Last edited by LIH Prem; Feb 21, 2014 at 12:30 am
Feb 20, 2014, 8:33 pm
#78
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
aww thank you so much everybody for your kind words. it is amazing to see how much people here in USA are genuinely happy about and supportive of success of others around them.
i really do love flyertalk and still have those bright yellow flyertalk suitcase tags on my briggs and riley bag. (yeah, the same briggs and riley suitcase i bought after researching it here and getting feedback from you all
i'll tell you all a funny story which has to do with flyertalk: i am actually flying to Barcelona for MWC right now using the M&M miles award ticket (i am posting this from LH455 flight)... i obviously got these tickets many months ago - i prefer to fly using miles when i can to save company money. as you know, award ticket inventory is limited and last minute changes are nearly impossible... and this is where it gets cute:
we announced the deal with Facebook on wednesday after the market closed. during the process, we realized there was a chance we might not be able to get the deal wrapped up and signed on wednesday and it could delay.
when the risk of the delay became real, i said: "if we don't get it done on wednesday, it probably wont get done. i have tickets on thursday to fly out to Barcelona which i bought with miles and they are not easily refundable or even possible to change. this has to be done by wednesday or else!!!"
...and so one of the biggest deals in tech history had to be scheduled around my M&M award ticket
i really do love flyertalk and still have those bright yellow flyertalk suitcase tags on my briggs and riley bag. (yeah, the same briggs and riley suitcase i bought after researching it here and getting feedback from you all
i'll tell you all a funny story which has to do with flyertalk: i am actually flying to Barcelona for MWC right now using the M&M miles award ticket (i am posting this from LH455 flight)... i obviously got these tickets many months ago - i prefer to fly using miles when i can to save company money. as you know, award ticket inventory is limited and last minute changes are nearly impossible... and this is where it gets cute:
we announced the deal with Facebook on wednesday after the market closed. during the process, we realized there was a chance we might not be able to get the deal wrapped up and signed on wednesday and it could delay.
when the risk of the delay became real, i said: "if we don't get it done on wednesday, it probably wont get done. i have tickets on thursday to fly out to Barcelona which i bought with miles and they are not easily refundable or even possible to change. this has to be done by wednesday or else!!!"
...and so one of the biggest deals in tech history had to be scheduled around my M&M award ticket
G-d bless and looking forward to hearing the good you'll surely accomplish with your new-found riches.
Feb 20, 2014, 9:39 pm
#79
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NYC, LAX, HKG
Posts: 286
Congratulations! 
Love your humor and character here. It's very inspiring to see such wonderful success from a fellow miles-and-points junkie.
Wish you the best of enjoyment and success in the future with this $19B. Hope to see you around on FT still.
Love your humor and character here. It's very inspiring to see such wonderful success from a fellow miles-and-points junkie.Wish you the best of enjoyment and success in the future with this $19B. Hope to see you around on FT still.
Feb 20, 2014, 9:49 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: QF Gold LTG (ow Saph), HHon Silver, Marriot Gold
Posts: 2,927
Great deal story and congratulations
- Not just the US based FTers who can be happy about others success, although I do agree that the US seems to celebrate successful entrepreneurs more than other countries
Good to see that even as some of the investment $s flowed in the last few years you still ran the business as though it was solely your money, and optimised the use of FF points.
As someone who has worked on M&A deals, including some of size, sadly not as shareholder however, it is amazing how much the wants and needs of key individuals can influence the structure of a deal - whether it be holiday timings, who gets Chairman v CEO, or getting a golf club membership thrown in as part of the deal
- Not just the US based FTers who can be happy about others success, although I do agree that the US seems to celebrate successful entrepreneurs more than other countries
Good to see that even as some of the investment $s flowed in the last few years you still ran the business as though it was solely your money, and optimised the use of FF points.
As someone who has worked on M&A deals, including some of size, sadly not as shareholder however, it is amazing how much the wants and needs of key individuals can influence the structure of a deal - whether it be holiday timings, who gets Chairman v CEO, or getting a golf club membership thrown in as part of the deal
Feb 21, 2014, 12:22 am
#83
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
I met Jan on several occasions at a car get together at Santana Row (in San Jose), probably about 7+ years ago now. I had a little blue sports car I was considering selling that caught his eye. Amazing where people can end up when they have a great idea and are passionate about what they do. Congratulations Jan!
Feb 21, 2014, 12:48 am
#84
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan, AAdvantage
Posts: 2,100
Congratulations! (Btw. did you know that you can fly your own plane for seriously less than $19B? You could even buy Lufthansa in a pinch and have change left to the tunes of 7.5B dollars.)
Feb 21, 2014, 8:33 am
#90
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Credit Cards
Posts: 3,009
I met Jan on several occasions at a car get together at Santana Row (in San Jose), probably about 7+ years ago now. I had a little blue sports car I was considering selling that caught his eye. Amazing where people can end up when they have a great idea and are passionate about what they do. Congratulations Jan!
Congratulations Jan