On Thanksgiving day two years ago I wrote a post on TechCrunch with a similar title and it felt time to give it a fresh coat of paint. Personally my startup is dramatically different from when I wrote that post. We were in 35-cities then, now we're in 150. I'm also five years removed from the corporate job I left behind. But as entrepreneurs we have so much to be grateful for. Here is my list for 2014. I haven't compared it to 2012, just written from the heart. I encourage you to make your own.
I am grateful that/for........
1. I am still standing five years later.
2. That I learned about the most persuasive entrepreneur ever Vernon Hill III (founder of MetroBank).
3. Great mentors and friends that support us (mine are my dad, my brother, Steve Blank, Paul Ahlstrom, George Zachary, Mary Grove, and Mark Suster).
4. An incredibly patient spouse that after 5-years still never complains about my startup madness. #loveyou
5. Products that make our companies possible (mine are Eventbrite, Google Apps, Basecamp, Wordpress, and Skype).
6. Beats headphones on long early morning flights.
7. Internet on planes, trains, and automobiles.
8. My MacBookAir that was salvaged in spite of a friend spilling water directly into the back of it.
9. Meeting entrepreneurs in Jerusalem and Palestine in September.
10. Advil. Lots and lots of Advil.
11. 1,500 volunteers that make Startup Grind possible around the world.
12. Three healthy kids including a brand new one - 7-months old is pretty brand new anyways.
13. A college friend who turned a basement project (Qualtrics) into a billion dollar company. Just wow.
14. Startup Grind is able to host and educate 50,000 entrepreneurs in person in 2014.
15. My friend/partner and I are still working together after 4-years. #rare
16. Helping others relieves the pain of my own problems.
17. I was able to meet and learn from Steve Case on the Rise of the Rest Bus Tour.
18. I have been able to witnesses and learn from Tehran's finest entrepreneurs through our Chapter there.
19. My kids love me no matter how bad a day the startup had.
20. Checks in the mail.
21. Direct deposits are good too.
22. Google Shopping. Because. It. Changed. Our. Lives.
23. That no incubator has ever accepted my application. #blessingindisguise
24. That my body requires me to turn off and shut down each night.
25. VCs that read entrepreneur's cold emails.
26. Founders that put their company and team before their ego.
27. Understanding that I can only succeed because I was willing to fail.
28. Modern airplane travel in spite of it's many flaws it's still magical.
29. I found a problem that I am 110% percent passionate about solving.
30. Groups like Google for Entrepreneurs, Kauffman Foundation, SoftLayer, and Samepage and their amazing team. #blessed
31. Not having to work in my garage anymore. #funwhileitlasted
32. I don't have to get through America's Visa process.
33. Living in the Silicon Valley (aka the modern day Valley of the Kings).
34. Revenue because it solves all problems.
35. Working daily with the smartest people I know.
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