[Startup Digest] Summary: SNAP Summit’s FailCon 2009

Posted in [Startup Digest] Summary by Chris McCann on November 9, 2009

SNAP Summit FailCon 2009

The last startup event for review today is SNAP Summit’s FailCon 2009 put on by event organizer extraordinaire Cassie Phillips and her company Room Full of People. Out of all the events I have attend this year, the theme of this conference was one of the most unique and interesting. Here it is in their own words:

About SNAP Summit
“SNAP Summit: FailCon” is a full-day conference focusing on the trials and tribulations of now successful entrepreneurs. You aren’t a real entrepreneur until you’ve had to deal with failure, and recovering from it – financially, emotionally, and practically – can be challenging. Hear how some major players in the industry have dealt with startup troubles, recovered, and kept a positive, tenacious, and energetic attitude through it all.

This year’s conference brings together a full spectrum of attendees, including independent developers, up-and coming startups, all the way up to large companies looking to get in on the next big thing.

The conference will debate questions such as:

- What variables do VCs watch for to preemptively prevent a company going under?
- How do you financially prepare for the possibility of failure: legally, fiscally, and in your team?
- What have some of the leading executives today learned from their past experiences?
- What are you watching out for with the current social web and rising companies?
- How do you layoff or fire an employee or partner?
- How do you save a failing company?
- How do you recover from a failed product or marketing campaign?

They brought a great line of speakers to the event http://snapsummit.com/speakers/ who got a chance to speak freely and openly about failures. One of my favorite talks was by Max Levchin who talked about his company before PayPal which failed during his trip to Chicago trying to raise capital. And instead of thinking about why this happend he just jumped right into his next company with no fear, all because of his desire to create something great and follow the entreprenuerial excitement.

Sadly there isn’t a full collection of video’s but here is some media about the event, a video of one speaker, and pictures.