Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 1:21 p.m.

It's just hysterical watching Ignition make so many poor judgments, this time hiring an *investment banker* to save Jobster??? Wow, Ignition really has gone off the deep end. But, that's what happens when your VCs have no hands-on experience in the consumer space.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 1:37 p.m.

Those words might need to be eaten with some mighty big investment banking crow!

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 2:23 p.m.

Interesting move on all accounts, first and foremost to get Jason out of there. Should be fun to see what transpires.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 3:08 p.m.

The first comment is obviously from an ignorant person who writes before they think. If you took a look at Seely's background you would see that his early career was as an IBanker. He spent 7 years at Sharebuilder building it from zero to over $60M in rev. subsequently selling it for $220M. You show me any other exec in this town who has made it starting from zero to liquidity outside of MS or from the .com bubble and who isn't a jerk??? I worked for the guy at Sharebuilder. He's the real deal! And on your Ignition point. Yeah I guess John Connors is just another tek geek out of MS. NOT. Guy is former CIO and CFO of MS!! Check his bio on the Ignition Partners website before you comment.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 3:18 p.m.

There is a easier way to settle all this. Seely obviously has the experience of turning around a massivlely funded startup and lead it to an exit. Sharbuilder took in some $80M and sold for $220 after ten years, well, you could have done better if you just bought index funds at take far lower risk. VCs are just looking for some kind of positive exit now, nevermind the dream of 100X their money.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 3:58 p.m.

This is true. Madrona made 5x their investment. Not great over 9 years, but better than a stick in the eye.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 4:34 p.m.

the reality is that jeff seely is an experienced exec who will add much needed stability to the company. He has the support of the board but he has a significant challenge in front of him. And Jason Goldberg had almost nothing to do with the hiring process other than window dressing.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 4:52 p.m.

I hear that Jobster is doing quite well recently and that the development team is very happy. Russell Williams and Jessica Scheibach are particularly strong managing.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 4:59 p.m.

I have worked for Seely and trust me, Jobster is in for a ride. Seely pulled ShareBuilder out of the dark days (dot bomb era) with great leadership and foresight. If he can't turn jobster around, then pretty much nobody else can. Bottom line Jobster is lucky to have him.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 5:29 p.m.

Oh, Jobster. Such a pile of dung. Ignition can't seem to get it right. First Judy's Book, now this. The next Ignition company due for some restructuring? SecondSpace.

Keep flushing the cash, John Conners.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 5:50 p.m.

Noticing the correction about the Laurel Group initially introducing Seely to Jobster I'd like to understand what the "correction" actually is? How did he get introduced if not via the Laurel Group?

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 5:54 p.m.

The Laurel Group did do the search. I was one of the CEO candidates they contacted. They're the only top notch firm in the NW, so I'm sure they did indeed recruit Seely. Cook must have been misquoted.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 7:16 p.m.

I'd like to know why the purple frog didn't get the job.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 9:15 p.m.

I think the purple frog would have at least had a cute partner!

Posted by unregistered user at 12/13/07 9:45 p.m.

Jobster is lucky - they found a great leader. I've worked with Seely for a number of years and he's an incredibly smart, talented and visionary leader. He'll shake things up for sure - but that will be a good thing. Congrats to everyone involved.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/14/07 5:32 a.m.

It was high time the company made a move.Things could not have gone worse for the investors.The company has taken 48 million.I am not sure why the company or this concept needed so much money. The investors atleast need to get their capital back leave the multiples. There is nothing in their concept that is difficult to recreate in 4-6 months with 4-5 good developers. I think they have got the new CEO to package & sell this business. For all that has been said of the new CEO,I do not see anything spectacular. He raised 80 mill and sold it for 200 million over 10 years. A CD ( certificate of Deposit) would have got more returns.I do not want to discredit this person or take away his achievements. Time will tell. One thing was certain - Jason was creating more harm than good

Posted by unregistered user at 12/14/07 11:27 a.m.

"I like an industry that is defined by some really great class A players,"

Yes, that most certainly defines Jobster... I'm trying to figure out what they have actually achieved other than bilking investors and changing the $ plan every other month. Nothing really comes to mind. Seely will tank in this role due to the simple fact that every other player in that space is miles ahead and they are, and will continue to be, entirely irrelevant.

As for Connors, he seems to be having a tough time outside the marble. From dropping off at a failed telecom to giving JGO rides on his sloop it might be time to pack it in.

So long, JGO. As big of a tool as you were, we are sincerely going to miss the name dropping, boat flops, and truly unbalanced actions that simply were nothing short of hysterical.

What's on your iPod now?

Posted by unregistered user at 12/14/07 12:14 p.m.

poster #75789.....way to come from left field. geez...

Posted by unregistered user at 12/14/07 3:49 p.m.

also on poster 75789-
just dumb stuff to say, not funny, pretty much ruins the spirit of blogging. why the whole blog concept is so often a complete waste of time.

Posted by unregistered user at 12/15/07 8:07 p.m.

Jobster was nothing but a fraternity and sorority. Look at all the people they hired from House Values another po-dung company going down the drain - the irony is that these people had nothing but inflated resumes when they got hired at Jobster.....

They hired the wrong people in sales and finally realized that they are in a hole. Unfortunately, Ignition fell for this whole 2.0 web thing which in the case of Jobster is failing miserably.

Jeff is good but he is in to increase the value of the company and then sell it. With linkedin dominating and add more revenue channels - JObster is just going to be another should have been or would have been...

Posted by unregistered user at 12/16/07 10:31 p.m.

Startups are hard. The comments about Jobster, Judy's Book et al. are unwarranted in the context of this discussion and sounds like the hater in post #75581 is just a fired ex-employee or something. (yes, we know who you are). Grow up--if you had 10% of the career that Connors or Seely have had to date, you would be a hitter, too.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/4/08 2:49 p.m.

Watching Celebrity Apprentice last night, I realized that Jason Goldberg is the male Omarosa.

Now, now, think about it. Both he and Omarosa worked in the White House. Both he and Omarosa had inflated resumes before their moment in the sun.

And... he like her, left a path of destruction for anyone who was foolhardy enough to work with him.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/9/08 9:31 a.m.

I worked with Jeff at Sharebuilder and the situation he is walking into at Jobster is not dissimilar to his experiences at Sharebuilder. He took control of a fledgling "company", took inventory of its assets and liabilities, created and set a new directions (with much help from others), made adjustments, and executed through one of the most tremulous periods in business history (the dot bomb). The results, a profit where many others fell. This experience alone make him the right guy for the job and one of their best chances. Don't be suprised when you see a new and inovative direction for Jobster Good luck Jeff and Jobster!