Today Jason Hiner asked me about the startup experience for a book he is writing. One of his questions was why did you do it— for love or for money. It was never about money. Startups — or the true ones are all about love — sometimes money comes along but otherwise it is all about love and everything you are willing to give up for it. I still wake up at 4 am thinking — can we do this better, smarter and make our readers happier. Readers are one of the main reasons why we eschewed some of the short term tricks while instead focusing on the long term.

Generically speaking, many of the great companies were started because the founders loved what they do and wanted to pursue their dreams badly. Evan Williams didn’t start blogger thinking about big dollars. I was one of those crazy ones! It is primarily the first thing I look for when trying to partner up with someone in my new gig at True Ventures.

I am at the True Ventures Founder Camp today and tomorrow and enjoying meeting with all of my fellow “crazy ones” on this journey to create something from nothing, reshape the world as we deem fit. Some will succeed, some will have to roll the dice again. Most of them will know – this is what they were born to do.

I hope Jason is kind to me in his book. But more importantly he will remind people that Startups are not a lifestyle. They are an obsession – fueled by one thing: the knowledge that you don’t have a choice but to do it!