Yesterday, my Audi S7 was stolen from our office parking lot in Palo Alto. A public nightmare.
It turns out Caitlin O. Bigelow took the keys from my wife and then wrapped the car in flames. My face is airbrushed on the hood above the words "founder mode" with dollar bills on fire.
It's one of the most embarrassing things that's ever happened to me.
Now, I can't drive the car. I'm too embarrassed so I've been having to Uber everywhere.
I witnessed an old lady walking her poodle in Palo Alto. She stopped and looked at the car, then at me, in disgust.
For her, it probably reinforced the narrative of egotistic immigrants setting VC dollars ablaze. I mean, that's literally what is on the damn hood.
It's so hard to stand out right now that our CMO has resorted to trashy marketing stunts as our GTM strategy. If you're an AI company chasing unicorn growth, sometimes you have to get uncomfortable.
Please don't judge me when you see this car being driven around the Bay Area during SF Tech Week.
Just know that deep down, I'm exactly like you. An introverted founder who has to do uncomfortable things to give his startup a fighting chance. Whether it's LinkedIn as a GTM channel or a flaming car wrap, we do what the moment demands.
The lesson here is simple. Sometimes giving your startup a chance means swallowing your pride.
If you see a flaming Audi with my face on the hood cruising through the Bay Area, give me a wave. I'll be the one cringing behind the wheel.
