Andy Kim

I mean, I just use a Slack channel all the time to ping people and be like, hey, we're thinking about trying this. We are doing this. And just people that have been on that journey before, it's just super helpful to get all of their thoughts.

I mean, I just use a Slack channel all the time to ping people and be like, hey, we're thinking about trying this. We are doing this. And just people that have been on that journey before, it's just super helpful to get all of their thoughts.

Yeah, so I have been interested in my own startup for the longest time. I can't even begin to tell you how long it's been. And part of the problem was, how do I stand something up, right? How do I get the first customer? How do I get the first product out the door? How do I get first interest? And that to me was a big enough barrier that it felt like diving off the deep end, right?

Yeah, so I have been interested in my own startup for the longest time. I can't even begin to tell you how long it's been. And part of the problem was, how do I stand something up, right? How do I get the first customer? How do I get the first product out the door? How do I get first interest? And that to me was a big enough barrier that it felt like diving off the deep end, right?

What ended up happening was I've been looking for businesses to buy on various marketplaces. And one that came across for me on Quietlight was John's business, this Trotto business. And John's part of the story is really he built this thing to be sustainable. But he has a full-time job as a software engineer. And this business just wasn't getting enough care and attention that it needed.

What ended up happening was I've been looking for businesses to buy on various marketplaces. And one that came across for me on Quietlight was John's business, this Trotto business. And John's part of the story is really he built this thing to be sustainable. But he has a full-time job as a software engineer. And this business just wasn't getting enough care and attention that it needed.

And admittedly, he probably stubbed his toe with other partners in the past. But with me buying in, it's a real capital commitment to growing this thing. And I think at the end of the day, what mattered the most and continues to matter the most to us is the level of trust that John and I have built over the last... year plus of, Hey, John, like I'm taking care of his baby basically, right.

And admittedly, he probably stubbed his toe with other partners in the past. But with me buying in, it's a real capital commitment to growing this thing. And I think at the end of the day, what mattered the most and continues to matter the most to us is the level of trust that John and I have built over the last... year plus of, Hey, John, like I'm taking care of his baby basically, right.

His, his company and taking it forward. And he's, you know, there as support on, you know, critical issues that he has the experience and knowledge about. Right. And it's actually worked out better than I could have really imagined for, I think both of our cases. And it's something that I'm super happy about and, and, and, Excited that it's kind of turned out the way that it has.

His, his company and taking it forward. And he's, you know, there as support on, you know, critical issues that he has the experience and knowledge about. Right. And it's actually worked out better than I could have really imagined for, I think both of our cases. And it's something that I'm super happy about and, and, and, Excited that it's kind of turned out the way that it has.

Through Quietlight, the broker.

Through Quietlight, the broker.

Yeah, I think at the time I also wanted to acquire the full business. But in conversations, as John and I built trust, I think John wanted to retain a certain percentage. And in retrospect, it was probably the right outcome for both of us to kind of make sure that our incentives were aligned. Right. So he's still involved with the business. Yeah. I mean, we used to catch up every week.

Yeah, I think at the time I also wanted to acquire the full business. But in conversations, as John and I built trust, I think John wanted to retain a certain percentage. And in retrospect, it was probably the right outcome for both of us to kind of make sure that our incentives were aligned. Right. So he's still involved with the business. Yeah. I mean, we used to catch up every week.

It then turned into every two weeks. Now it's on a monthly basis. But yeah, I ping him all the time on Slack and bother him with questions. And yeah, it's been great.

It then turned into every two weeks. Now it's on a monthly basis. But yeah, I ping him all the time on Slack and bother him with questions. And yeah, it's been great.

I don't have a moment, but it is the general feeling of not knowing what the right answers are, right? Like you go to school and you're like, okay, I got an A or B on that test, right? You go to work and you're like, okay, I know I'm doing well or I'm not doing well. You know what the company's doing, but you're a smaller part of it.

I don't have a moment, but it is the general feeling of not knowing what the right answers are, right? Like you go to school and you're like, okay, I got an A or B on that test, right? You go to work and you're like, okay, I know I'm doing well or I'm not doing well. You know what the company's doing, but you're a smaller part of it.

When you're at the size of company that we are, and it seems like at times we're flailing in a large ocean of everything else that's going on, the real question is, how do you know what your North Star is? How do you know that you're making progress against that? And how do you try to figure out the basic problems of going from basically nothing to a company with processes and with people and

When you're at the size of company that we are, and it seems like at times we're flailing in a large ocean of everything else that's going on, the real question is, how do you know what your North Star is? How do you know that you're making progress against that? And how do you try to figure out the basic problems of going from basically nothing to a company with processes and with people and