In a recent post to his weblog, Kevin Marks announces he is moving to google and he can expect to be begoogled. I’ve done my share of startup and spindown companies in the last 7 or so years. I count at least 5 startups and perhaps one spindown. My take is that startup companies have very volatile work environments and most people do sign “work at will” employment contracts. But there is even a more fundamental thing happening with the companies. I think they thrive on people turn over and they need it like good drugs. These drugs make you whisper things like:
“change is good. the company wants new blood. turn over in employee ranks is to be expected”
So people just move on, turn around, restart and respin their lives. What does this mean for the underlying community of interwoven startup companies, their people and skills, and what they represent of value? I think it means value is fleeting in these companies. What was once considered a thing of value is soon restructured or changed or realigned and often either by the whim of the person or company. There is really no value placed on long-term relationships in these companies since the very idea of “long term” is bounded by a short term reality. Things change, times change, people want more or less.
Could it be true that there are people just not well grounded or adapted to these kinds of quick turn over? Of course. Its not a resistance ot change because we all understand that change is inevitable. Its more like “give me change but let it be regular or evenly paced”. That brings to mind interesting evolutionary ideas around how change happens. One comes to mind called Punctuated Equilibrium. Perhaps evolutionary change extends past these organisms to startups as well. Bodies at rest stay at rest unless propelled millions of miles through space on some small terrestrial ball with climate and oceans and land forms and…
Startups
When you add startups to the mix, wild and unpredictable social evolution starts happening. People break molds and agree to all manner of wierdness. Companies do their evolutions and people come and go.
I’d only tell Kevin (I once worked with him at the big T but never had additional contact after I left) that this is a normal type of evolution given the splitting of atoms, molecules, and other basic lifeforms that startups often do.
Congrats Kevin. Welcome to that complex but simple world called Google!
