@ EconSM: Baseline’s Ron Conway: ‘I Don’t Use Twitter Or Facebook’

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@ EconSM: Baseline’s Ron Conway: ‘I Don’t Use Twitter Or Facebook’

The list of social media properties Baseline Ventures’ Ron Conway has backed includes Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Seesmic ... and it goes on and on. So he should have a slew of Facebook friends and Twitter followers (especially entrepreneurs that are hungry for VC), right? Not at all.

Conway has no friends or followers on either network—because he doesn’t use them. “I don’t use Twitter, or Facebook, or any of the other startups I invest in. I advise them and add value. I don’t spend time using them.”

Tameka Kee

@GeekyChic May 14, 2009 7:22 PM ET

Posted In: Social Media, Companies, Facebook, Twitter

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DCStrain

From my nearly forty years in business (most of them consulting) I have found there is a direct correlation between my level of personal involvement—and the degree of detachment and objectivity I have.

Using Twitter as an example: As an investor, Twitter must report to me; I may discuss Twitter with other investors, managers, other Twitter users; and certainly, there is enough information on other web sites to answer any question I may have. However, if I use the service, my objectivity will slowly morph to subjectivity—and as that transition occurs there will be subtle stages during which I will not know if my thinking is objective, subjective, or a combination of the two. Also, I will certainly find all the flaws and confusing things about the service, and will "personally" feel pissed off. There goes my objectivity. You may say that is a valuable thing to know. I say, it is good to know, but my consulting/investment decisions are best served by objective knowledge, not subjective "touchy/feely" knowledge. In addition, the fact that an online business has characteristics that "piss people off" is a minor item regarding the success or failure of that business.

AOL, MSN, Google, Microsoft live services. I have been pissed at them all, as have "millions" of other users. I can't see where that has kept them from making money. I have a very negative "subjective" attitude towards Microsoft because I must use their stuff to do business, however, due to my attitude, I "expect" their products to be buggy prior to installing them. I would not be a good person to objectively review a new Microsoft product.

Note:
- If "jack of all trades" had not used the terms "What an idiot." and "DOLT", I would have seriously considered the post
- and "jenkins" post: "two fads. get it straight" seems to lack any relevant information (and I'm sure there is some intelligent thinking behind the comment—I just don't know what it might be).

Regards,
DCStrain

jenkins

two fads. get it straight

Scott Milener

Things change so rapidly, its impossible for investors to keep up. If they try, they'll bombard the execs with useless suggestions and worse - lots of fear. Ron is smart enough to know the flavor of success and if its not working, he can lend the type of top level advice that CEOs really need.

For example, Tawk is already taking traffic from Twitter as a better site for instant conversations, things move so quickly. http://tawk1.com/94

jack of all trades

What an idiot. If i were an investor in his funds, i'd fire him on the spot. How can you invest in a product you don't use? How can you speak intelligently about it if you don't use it. DOLT.