Start that business

Two years ago I made a pact with myself that I would read a little bit every night to relax before I go to sleep. I started with magazines, newspapers, executive summaries and pitch decks but found that they were too stimulating to my brain and so it took me too long to fall asleep. I moved to books but after a few all-nighters reading the likes of Unbroken, I course corrected again and cracked open one of the all-time greats: the U.S. Tax Code. Hey, don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. In 20 minute spurts, the IRS puts out a great and very useful read.

Only slightly embarrassingly, since my NYU School of Law days when Jerome Kurtz, former Commissioner of the IRS, was my Intro to Tax professor, I’ve always thought our tax laws were interesting — guess it is the most empirical evidence that a great teacher can make even the most seemingly boring subject exciting. Last week, I referred to a few provisions on at least a dozen occasions with people that are very active investors who weren’t aware of some of the amazing incentives designed to help launch businesses, so I figured I’d try to spread the word. If they don’t know about these opportunities, chances are most people don’t. Read more

Thank you

10 years ago, I started SeamlessWeb and have had the great privilege of being CEO/President ever since.  About 2 months ago, I decided to leave the company.  Today is my last day.

To my SeamlessWeb family, to say I feel mixed emotions would be a severe understatement.  Since we started the company, I’ve had the incredible privilege of working with extremely talented people and of taking big risks knowing that, when I got kicked around, without fail there would be a team of passionate all-stars to lift me back up.  We’ve shaped the way that almost a million people and tens of thousands of businesses interact with each other over something as integral to our daily lives as food.  Leaving the company was a difficult decision.  Leaving the company such that I won’t have the opportunity to work with, and spend bulk time with, you was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made.  While I’m rarely at a loss for words, all I can say is thank you.  I hope you learned as much from me as much as I did from you.  I hope you enjoyed working with me as much as I did with you.  It is you who led me rather than vice-versa and I will be forever grateful.  Thank you, sincerely, for all of the notes–they mean a great deal to me.  As Johnny wrote to Ponyboy, “Stay gold”. Read more