Learning From Failures: IMVU Founder Will Harvey (Part 6)

SM: What did you do after There.com? WH: After I left There.com I started IMVU. I was determined to not make the same mistakes again.

Learning From Failures: IMVU Founder Will Harvey (Part 5)

SM: Who were your investors at There.com? WH: The first couple of rounds were angel rounds. The first official investors were Black Diamond Capital Partners, which is a small private institutional fund. Sutter Hill Venture Partners was the first major VC.

Learning From Failures: IMVU Founder Will Harvey (Part 4)

SM: What happened after you realized the second round of financing was not going to be available for Sandcastle? WH: I then made a decision to have the company acquired instead of pressing forward. At that point it was viable. Fortunately, I made that decision before we ran out of money. We still had enough

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Learning From Failures: IMVU Founder Will Harvey (Part 3)

SM: In 1996, the Internet was in full swing. What was your next step? WH: I started a company called Sandcastle, which sought to solve the problem of making highly responsive games run over the Internet. When the Internet was starting to become popular for consumer entertainment, video game programmers were adapting games for local

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Learning From Failures: IMVU Founder Will Harvey (Part 2)

SM: Electronic Arts sold your program and you were getting royalties at fifteen. Did you continue with your studies, or did you become a developer and start writing games and programs? WH: Both. I did continue my studies. I went to Stanford for my undergrad and stayed there through the time I was able to

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Learning From Failures: IMVU Founder Will Harvey (Part 1)

Will Harvey is a serial entrepreneur who began writing software at a very early age. He wrote Music Construction Set, which was the first music sheet editor for personal computers, when he was fifteen. In 1995, he founded Sandcastle. In 1998, he founded There, Inc., which was a virtual 3-D social world. He founded his

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Can You Do It All? Eventbrite Cofounder And Mother Julia Hartz (Part 11)

SM: Childcare is a major item in one’s monthly budget. People do have to think of it, because for most aspiring entrepreneurs, or indeed anyone who works, it is a huge issue. JH: To have your own company, and to be the solo leader of that company, while at the same time having a family

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Can You Do It All? Eventbrite Cofounder And Mother Julia Hartz (Part 10)

SM: It is incredibly challenging to have a career, let alone be an entrepreneur, and have a baby. JH: I feel very strongly that I can create an environment where women who have a skill and are talented and driven are welcomed at our company. I just hired a head of customer experience who had

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