I joined my first startup at the butt-end of the bubble, was employee #44, earned some great experience, worked with some amazing people, and many who just plain weren’t.  I survived a few rounds of layoffs, but finally was out of work when the company ceased to be an ongoing concern in the Spring of 2003.  Thinking I’d learned all I needed to do this on my own, I jumped into a few more startups as number two or one.  All seemed like “the next big thing”, were interesting, educational, and exciting.  All were failures.  It was okay though as I had a good day job.

That job has been so good that I’ve spent the last year since out son’s birth working only four days a week.   Not working from home on Fridays, but not working on Fridays … three day weekends every weekend.  I spent those Friday’s with the boy – something I’d recommend to anyone and everyone with their first (or nth) little one if they can pull it off.  Sure I love my weekends when all three of us are together, but being one on one all day is totally different and rocks.

Anyway, tomorrow I’ll walk out of that great, stable job for another startup.  This Friday the little one will turn one.   More than a few people have told me that I am crazy.  But if you’ve every had to do something, known it was the right thing for you, just known that this was a problem you have to try to solve, then you understand.

There’s a investment adage that I first heard from Harvey Salkin in his Personal Investment class back in college.  It went something like “the cardinal sin of investing is thinking that this time will be different”.   I can’t tell you how many times this has come to mind over the years, but it has to be in the thousands.  That said, this time, this startup is different.  I now have an amazing nearly one year old relying on me as well as a very forgiving, excited, and supportive wife (seriously, try being married to me, it’s not easy!).   This time is going to be very, very different.

So as we grow TempMine I’m going to blog about the process of starting a startup.  This as much for me as it is for you, dear reader.  This summer, this year, this life is going to go fast.  When I finally get a chance for a break, I look forward to being able to sit back, read this, and see what I missed.