A YEAR IN KIEV. THANKS FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT.
Just a short thank-you to all my friends and family, Facebook and ‘non-digital’, who have supported me over the past year while building a startup abroad. You might think little things don’t matter. But they do. They matter a great deal to me.
About a year ago, I’d come out of surgery after being pretty sure my latest health problem would be the end of me. In that state of mind, I was crazy enough to take my friend Max’s advice on building and taking a product idea to market. And smart enough to take my friend Roman’s advice on Ukraine as a place build it. So thank very much Max, and Roman. It’s all on you. 🙂
Aside from adapting to a new environment, which isn’t that easy for my inner aspie, I had a whole host of problems. My cash flow was only half of what I’d anticipated, so I had to finance the business out of liquidating investments rather than just cash flow. I had a very hard time finding talent largely because I can’t speak the language. And the first few people we brought in, just couldn’t do the calibre of work we needed. And it’s not like I’m willing to do something mediocre. 🙂
In May I started upgrading the staff, and in June I expanded it considerably. And since then it’s been a completely different experience. (Thank you for the great work guys.) We have a category-killer on our hands that will make every other product look antique by comparison, and give the analysts and us something fun to talk about. We are still in the middle of it. But I love not having to make compromises. And we’re not making them. 🙂
As for living here. Any expat goes thru cycles. Of course, I share the silly parties, and crazy stuff a bit. But that was partly my “I’m still alive” phase nine months ago. I’ve tamed since then. Despite making all the right ‘connections’ here that would allow me to live a crazy life I dont live that crazy a life. I miss my family and friends of course. I miss ‘consuming’ a bit – it’s really hard to get anything good here. I miss driving. And movies. But the state of affairs in the world, and in the states in particular, is so exasperating I feel privileged to spend it in this culture, which is as beautiful as any culture can be. Thank you Veronika for taking care of me. 🙂 Thank those of you who helped me get started: Oksana Kavetska in particular. And thank those of you who think they didn’t matter: Alesiya, Elena and Valeriya. You’ve been like my family. 🙂
Here in Kiev, I am closer to many of my European friends. Most of whom I feel more cultural kinship with than my fellow Americans. I can’t share time with them. But knowing that they’re at least REACHABLE is something that gives me comfort every day. (Aaron, Andy, Vincent, PT, Joakim, Paul and the rest. I can’t get claim hong kong is close tho. 🙂 ) So thank all of you (you know who you are) for your friendship. And seeing you at PFS recharged my batteries. I’d have to list thirty names here so I can’t. But if I say ‘The Bad Boys’ we all know who we are. Love all of you. 🙂
Aside from my business, personal life, and health recovery, my intellectual work has progressed exceptionally well this year. And it’s just very hard to do this kind of thing without the people who nudge me along (Frank, Skye, Roman, Troy and dozens of others who are too many to list here.) Thanks in particular for my newest friends (David in particular. Darcy and many others. Frank. I’ll never stop thanking you. I would not have done this without your patience with teaching me to speak in simple direct language over a decade ago.) As for others, If I haven’t listed you here specifically please assume that I just thought of you – cause I did. I promise. (Yes. You too.) 🙂 I have an amazing long term memory. 🙂
In Seattle a few old friends in particular always remain supportive (Tammey, Shannon, Todd, Emily, Apryl, Greg, Peter, Jason in particular). Thank you for every kind word.
So another year. A year I wasn’t sure I had. And it’s one of the best years of my life. And it’s one of the best years, for the reason any year stands out: because of the people near and far who you can share it with.
If you don’t have this same feeling. Try to get it before you think your interior lights are about to go out. Every day is better. Every person you interact with is more wonderful. Every achievement more joyful. Every failure, less important. Its one of our great tragedies that we fear death when there is so little to fear. But we take the time and people in our lives for granted. The clock ticks.
My daughter, sisters, cousins, mother, friends, PFS friends, Seattle friends, Ukraine friends. Thank you for making this year possible, and enjoyable.
Hopefully 2014 will be even better for all of us.
Hugs and thanks.
Curt
Source date (UTC): 2013-10-06 15:36:00 UTC