8 ms·

The email I received from Google in 2007 when they wanted to buy Zlio

154 points by cypriend 14y ago

citizens 14y ago
> "For the little story, Zlio, became blacklisted/sandboxed by Google 6 months after…. It killed the company…" This is only speculation, but it looks like zlio.com was sandboxed/blacklisted because of rampant spamming. 4 out of the top 5 referring domains are porn sites (about 150k links). Source: http://ahrefs.com/site-explorer/refdomains/subdomains/zlio.com http://ahrefs.com/site-explorer/refdomains/subdomains/zlio.c...
- allbombs 14y ago
  took a quick look, aren't those backlinks to subdomains? No idea what the product/service does but it appears subdomains are the main spam links, not the root.. So perhaps they were duped by spammers creating subdomains
  - citizens 14y ago
    Yep, totally possible
    - Karl_Rove 14y ago
      Indeed
  - robryan 14y ago
    It is a create your own store product. People would have simply been making a store and then using software to spam their links everywhere. I think sub domains are usually treated as separate domains though?
    - Evbn 14y ago
      They are separate for user generated subdomains. http://www.seomoz.org/blog/understanding-root-domains-subdomains-vs-subfolders-microsites http://www.seomoz.org/blog/understanding-root-domains-subdom... It is possible that on that fateful day, Google noticed zlio is user generated sub domains, and lost power.
      - allbombs 14y ago
        technically you could still suffer from that. subdomains are treated as separate domains, right If all the subdomains had links back to zilo (say the header or footer), it starts to look like a huge link farm, or a bunch of satellite sites. It's actually pretty dangerous. But disavow is here, right? hah
- mjwalshe 14y ago
  Yes I consulted on site that got hacked and thousands on pages with linsk to porn sites created - killed the site dead had to switch to a new domain in the end.
trevelyan 14y ago
They wanted financials and a valuation range? And then deep communications about technical challenges and workarounds? Reminds me that one of the nice things about owning a company is you can tell people to go away.
mvkel 14y ago
What an awful email. Reads like a lazy VC associate trying to do as little work as possible to pass along metrics to higher ups.
- jrockway 14y ago
  It's amazing how even when buying a company, people can't be bothered to use proper capitalization or even spell out the word "please". Wow. I must have slept through the English class where they told me this was OK.
  - imglorp 14y ago
    I think it's a power thing because they're manoeuvring for negotiation. Translation: "I can't be bothered to spell because you're teensy and I have another $1B to spend today on companies 100x bigger than yours. Make with the paperwork chop chop." Then, confirmation: "Give me your mobile so I can call you any time I feel like to make you jump, because you're the bitch now."
    - bennny 14y ago
      It's a mentality. I'm google so even though I'm too lazy to send a proper email, he'll still come crawling to me.
    - tomrod 14y ago
      Hey Benny, I couldn't comment on your comment directly because you're in ban hell. But I get what you're saying.
    - jrockway 14y ago
      Yeah. My reply to that message would have been "I only give my mobile phone number to friends. Please use my office line between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM EST." But honestly, a lot of people seem to like doing business deals while walking around with their cell phones, so perhaps this is not actually a power play.
  - ekianjo 14y ago
satp 14y ago
I always used to wonder about the contents of the first mail when an acquisition offer is made. Sad if all read like this! I hope not.
woodchuck64 14y ago
Social eCommerce Site Zlio Joins the Deadpool: http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/19/social-ecommerce-site-zlio-joins-the-deadpool/ http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/19/social-ecommerce-site-zlio-...
- robryan 14y ago
  This is why I wouldn't touch SEO as a consultant. They ended up getting sued, despite little chance probably they could fix their issues without massive internal changes to the service. I guess the SEO company overpromised.
  - Evbn 14y ago
    Referencement appears to be a black-hat-SEO French company: http://m.pinterest.com/visual3d/referencement-seo-smo/ http://m.pinterest.com/visual3d/referencement-seo-smo/ I didn't realize, France has UK-style libel laws, where complaining about getting ripped off is punishable?
OldSchool 14y ago
Of course I don't know what the terms were, but if you're in a position to decide to take on (more?) VC or sell to Google I'm inclined to say going with the latter is the better choice. If you're a great visionary you'll have another chance not too far down the road to show the world again. If your good fortune hitched a ride with lady luck to some extent, then shamelessly cashing out your personal bubble is also a smart thing to do.
- ryanglasgow 14y ago
  Did you read the article? Google took longer than 30 days to close the deal, and their term sheet with Mangrove was about to expire. He had no choice but to accept the VC funding.
  - OldSchool 14y ago
    Sure, I read this: "After waiting for it 30 days, we decided to accept the Mangrove investment proposal." That sounds like a choice was made. My main point is for those going forward: unless the equity you stand to convert into your own personal wealth is insignificant to you, an exit can't really stop your career for long but it also just might be the only chance you get. Maybe the Google deal wasn't a sure thing but whether or not they could pay was not a question.
    - jfoster 14y ago
      If Google wanted them enough they could still purchase after the additional VC. They'd just need to pay more.
dsymonds 14y ago
Why is it now trendy to publish private mail like this? Is there really that much public benefit to be had?
- Evbn 14y ago
  For a washed up has-been startup founder looking for catharsis or another 15 minutes of fame? Sure.
  - wilecoyote 14y ago
    That seems unreasonably harsh. Feel better? I somehow doubt it.
  - jdg 14y ago
    Clearly you don't know Jeremie. His best work has yet to be done.
    - atomical 14y ago
      I'm not sure if you're trolling but this, comically, adds nothing.
- rehack 14y ago
  Agree on the point you make. But out of this context, I think, its useful/interesting for Startup founders, to see what acquisition mails from Google look like.
damian2000 14y ago
Looks like they also got banned from selling on Amazon too... http://techcrunch.com/2007/05/21/zlio-banned-from-amazon/ http://techcrunch.com/2007/05/21/zlio-banned-from-amazon/
nugget 14y ago
Some of these comments confuse me. What do you expect an m&a email to read like? Having been through a bunch of acquisitions, that email is par for the course, especially for a (presumably) smaller acquisition. You have an internal product sponsor who asks for basic financial info, asks for a price, has clearly laid out next steps and the process, and wants to start immediately. All positive for a first step. Some of the best corp dev guys I know have the worst grammar and email manners and to focus on that as a weakness is ridiculous...as long as they can approve a wire transfer, who cares? Some people are Youtube and have Eric layering sweet sugary syrup on their Pancakes whilst they discuss the beautiful synergies of a monster deal, but most of the time, the startup CEO is hustling it across the finish line.
exolxe 14y ago
I love Jeremie's life principle which got him through the Google sandboxing/blackballing and company failure after passing on the acquisition: “Everything that happens in your life is for your own good”, “Every challenge makes you stronger”... "All he said was, don’t worry, good things will happen after this tough experience" --http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/ilan-abehassera http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/ilan-abehassera

154 points by cypriend 14y ago

> "For the little story, Zlio, became blacklisted/sandboxed by Google 6 months after…. It killed the company…" This is only speculation, but it looks like zlio.com was sandboxed/blacklisted because of rampant spamming. 4 out of the top 5 referring domains are porn sites (about 150k links). Source: http://ahrefs.com/site-explorer/refdomains/subdomains/zlio.com http://ahrefs.com/site-explorer/refdomains/subdomains/zlio.c...

allbombs 14y ago
took a quick look, aren't those backlinks to subdomains? No idea what the product/service does but it appears subdomains are the main spam links, not the root.. So perhaps they were duped by spammers creating subdomains
- citizens 14y ago
  Yep, totally possible
  - Karl_Rove 14y ago
    Indeed
- robryan 14y ago
  It is a create your own store product. People would have simply been making a store and then using software to spam their links everywhere. I think sub domains are usually treated as separate domains though?
  - Evbn 14y ago
    They are separate for user generated subdomains. http://www.seomoz.org/blog/understanding-root-domains-subdomains-vs-subfolders-microsites http://www.seomoz.org/blog/understanding-root-domains-subdom... It is possible that on that fateful day, Google noticed zlio is user generated sub domains, and lost power.
    - allbombs 14y ago
      technically you could still suffer from that. subdomains are treated as separate domains, right If all the subdomains had links back to zilo (say the header or footer), it starts to look like a huge link farm, or a bunch of satellite sites. It's actually pretty dangerous. But disavow is here, right? hah
mjwalshe 14y ago
Yes I consulted on site that got hacked and thousands on pages with linsk to porn sites created - killed the site dead had to switch to a new domain in the end.

trevelyan 14y ago

They wanted financials and a valuation range? And then deep communications about technical challenges and workarounds? Reminds me that one of the nice things about owning a company is you can tell people to go away.

mvkel 14y ago

What an awful email. Reads like a lazy VC associate trying to do as little work as possible to pass along metrics to higher ups.

jrockway 14y ago
It's amazing how even when buying a company, people can't be bothered to use proper capitalization or even spell out the word "please". Wow. I must have slept through the English class where they told me this was OK.
- imglorp 14y ago
  I think it's a power thing because they're manoeuvring for negotiation. Translation: "I can't be bothered to spell because you're teensy and I have another $1B to spend today on companies 100x bigger than yours. Make with the paperwork chop chop." Then, confirmation: "Give me your mobile so I can call you any time I feel like to make you jump, because you're the bitch now."
  - bennny 14y ago
    It's a mentality. I'm google so even though I'm too lazy to send a proper email, he'll still come crawling to me.
  - tomrod 14y ago
    Hey Benny, I couldn't comment on your comment directly because you're in ban hell. But I get what you're saying.
  - jrockway 14y ago
    Yeah. My reply to that message would have been "I only give my mobile phone number to friends. Please use my office line between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM EST." But honestly, a lot of people seem to like doing business deals while walking around with their cell phones, so perhaps this is not actually a power play.
- ekianjo 14y ago

satp 14y ago

I always used to wonder about the contents of the first mail when an acquisition offer is made. Sad if all read like this! I hope not.

woodchuck64 14y ago

Social eCommerce Site Zlio Joins the Deadpool: http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/19/social-ecommerce-site-zlio-joins-the-deadpool/ http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/19/social-ecommerce-site-zlio-...

robryan 14y ago
This is why I wouldn't touch SEO as a consultant. They ended up getting sued, despite little chance probably they could fix their issues without massive internal changes to the service. I guess the SEO company overpromised.
- Evbn 14y ago
  Referencement appears to be a black-hat-SEO French company: http://m.pinterest.com/visual3d/referencement-seo-smo/ http://m.pinterest.com/visual3d/referencement-seo-smo/ I didn't realize, France has UK-style libel laws, where complaining about getting ripped off is punishable?

OldSchool 14y ago

Of course I don't know what the terms were, but if you're in a position to decide to take on (more?) VC or sell to Google I'm inclined to say going with the latter is the better choice. If you're a great visionary you'll have another chance not too far down the road to show the world again. If your good fortune hitched a ride with lady luck to some extent, then shamelessly cashing out your personal bubble is also a smart thing to do.

ryanglasgow 14y ago
Did you read the article? Google took longer than 30 days to close the deal, and their term sheet with Mangrove was about to expire. He had no choice but to accept the VC funding.
- OldSchool 14y ago
  Sure, I read this: "After waiting for it 30 days, we decided to accept the Mangrove investment proposal." That sounds like a choice was made. My main point is for those going forward: unless the equity you stand to convert into your own personal wealth is insignificant to you, an exit can't really stop your career for long but it also just might be the only chance you get. Maybe the Google deal wasn't a sure thing but whether or not they could pay was not a question.
  - jfoster 14y ago
    If Google wanted them enough they could still purchase after the additional VC. They'd just need to pay more.

dsymonds 14y ago

Why is it now trendy to publish private mail like this? Is there really that much public benefit to be had?

Evbn 14y ago
For a washed up has-been startup founder looking for catharsis or another 15 minutes of fame? Sure.
- wilecoyote 14y ago
  That seems unreasonably harsh. Feel better? I somehow doubt it.
- jdg 14y ago
  Clearly you don't know Jeremie. His best work has yet to be done.
  - atomical 14y ago
    I'm not sure if you're trolling but this, comically, adds nothing.
rehack 14y ago
Agree on the point you make. But out of this context, I think, its useful/interesting for Startup founders, to see what acquisition mails from Google look like.

damian2000 14y ago

Looks like they also got banned from selling on Amazon too... http://techcrunch.com/2007/05/21/zlio-banned-from-amazon/ http://techcrunch.com/2007/05/21/zlio-banned-from-amazon/

nugget 14y ago

Some of these comments confuse me. What do you expect an m&a email to read like? Having been through a bunch of acquisitions, that email is par for the course, especially for a (presumably) smaller acquisition. You have an internal product sponsor who asks for basic financial info, asks for a price, has clearly laid out next steps and the process, and wants to start immediately. All positive for a first step. Some of the best corp dev guys I know have the worst grammar and email manners and to focus on that as a weakness is ridiculous...as long as they can approve a wire transfer, who cares? Some people are Youtube and have Eric layering sweet sugary syrup on their Pancakes whilst they discuss the beautiful synergies of a monster deal, but most of the time, the startup CEO is hustling it across the finish line.

exolxe 14y ago

I love Jeremie's life principle which got him through the Google sandboxing/blackballing and company failure after passing on the acquisition: “Everything that happens in your life is for your own good”, “Every challenge makes you stronger”... "All he said was, don’t worry, good things will happen after this tough experience" --http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/ilan-abehassera http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/ilan-abehassera