Thursday, December 02, 2010
Finally, I can focus on what I love
I started Funambol with a couple of friends eight years ago. Pretty much the same day when my daughter was born. I called it the Big Bang. It was a double new-beginning, something like seeing a double rainbow, but not on drugs (well, my wife might disagree...).
Eight years have passed and Funambol is a great success. We are doubling our revenues compared to last year and we have ten new Carrier Edition servers going live this quarter around the planet. One of the top carriers in the world launched two weeks ago and they put two million users on the platform right away (systems are well, up and running and smiling ;-) More to come in the next weeks, since there is a rush to go live before Christmas from a lot of our customers.
Overall, the cloud synchronization and device management space is red hot right now, in particular due to the shift towards connected devices (starting with tablets and moving to connected TVs this Christmas). All things I predicted years ago, including the explosion of mobile open source (I got lucky!) On top of it, we have plenty of cash in the bank since I closed a new funding round in September.
Eight years have passed and my daughter is now skiing with me. We talk about how kids are born (actually, that was my wife's duty, I promised I will tell the boys). She corrects my English, while I correct her Italian. She is a big girl. Sometimes, I think about the day I will walk her down the aisle. I know I will not be the only man in her life forever. She will grow up and need someone else.
That is what happened with Funambol. Eight years in the life of a company are like twenty-four in the life of a person (baby, do wait after college, please). Funambol is ready. She needs a new man. She needs to grow up. She needs to scale to that billion dollar company I dreamed for her.
In October, I went to the board and suggested we hire a new CEO to bring Funambol to the next level. Amit Chawla, who has 25 years of experience in the Telco space, is our new CEO. We have been working together for a couple of weeks now. He is the man who will scale Funambol.
I took the role of President, and I am also the Chairman of the Board. I am now free to focus on what I love, which is awesome. I am happier than I ever been. I know It was the right move at the right time.
People close to me will tell you that I always said "I will not be the CEO of Funambol when I will turn 40". Today is my 40th birthday. I achieved everything I wanted in life so far. I am a lucky lucky man.
Focusing on what I love is the best present I could wish for.
Posted by Fabrizio Capobianco at 09:03
22 Comments:
Daniele Galiffa said...
Best wishes for the all the next important moments into your personal and professional life :)
Thanks for inspiring young people!
Comment Posted at 09:53
Fabrizio said...
Thanks Daniele, much appreciated!
Comment Posted at 09:53
Massimo Arrigoni said...
Fabrizio,
Very happy for you. What a great birthday present to be able to write the post you just wrote.
You are indeed a lucky man, but - as Thomas Jefferson allegedly said - "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
You've worked tirelessly to build a company that has inspired so many of us entrepreneurs, especially those of us connected to Italy, with your (now proven) model of developing software in Italy, and selling it from Silicon Valley.
I wish you all the best. Keep inspiring us.
massimo
Comment Posted at 09:54
Fabrizio said...
Thanks Massimo, you are too kind.
Comment Posted at 09:56
PierG said...
Congrats for what you achieved and above all beacuse it's what you wanted to achieve. Now the obvious question: what's is what you love now? :)
PierG
http://pierg.wordpress.com
Comment Posted at 09:57
palbi said...
In bocca al lupo for what's to come...well and happy bday of course
Comment Posted at 10:13
Gianugo Rabellino said...
Now that's a great 40th birthday gift! Congratulations Fabrizio, all the best for the success of Funambol, and looking forward to seeing Funambol become even a bigger player in the mobile space!
Comment Posted at 10:23
Giuseppe Taibi said...
Complimenti e auguri!!! You are a lucky man, indeed!! Best wishes for what comes next!
Comment Posted at 12:36
Jennifer said...
Congratulations, Capo. Funambol is a great success!
Comment Posted at 13:55
Davide 'Folletto' Casali said...
A lucky man... and great skills. ;)
Kudos, you are as always a great example for us all. :)
Comment Posted at 17:27
Sei uno dei miei esempi per quello che vorrei diventare una volta finita l'Università. Continua così, non so se lo sai... ma hai un sacco di fan che tifano per te!
Viva Funambol e Viva l'Italia!
Guido
Comment Posted at 01:28
ste said...
Congratulations, Fabrizio, thanks for inspiring all of US young Italians with your energy, success and humility!
Comment Posted at 01:44
Luca Perugini said...
You are not just a lucky man...
...you've followed your dream with tenacity and competence.
Best wishes and Keep inspiring us. :-)
Comment Posted at 01:53
Alessandro said...
It's a gooooood news! As you know when an italian creates a company he remains CEO, President, Chief for the eternity. So our companies rarely grow. But am I wrong or have you any project? Out of Funamabol I mean.
Comment Posted at 02:35
Carlo said...
Congratulations. You are an example for all the young italian tech dreamers.
Comment Posted at 02:42
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag und weiterhin viel Spass und Erfolg ;-)
Happy Birthday and enjoy your free time with family & friends -
enjoy your time to dream and to ride the wave!
see you in Barcelona
Daniel
Comment Posted at 05:24
Albegor said...
Congrats and Auguri Fabrizio!
Curiously enough, on the same day I closed my three years old startup.
We definitely need lucky mentors in Italy.. :)
Davide
Comment Posted at 09:01
Paolo Savini said...
happy birthday and wish you ever best future
you are a big dream
Comment Posted at 13:36
sinzone said...
Best people create the magic and then let it for the pleasure of the others - somebody says.
Comment Posted at 19:13
lucaberta said...
Auguroni Fabrizio, e complimenti per una scelta coraggiosa, ma che apre nuove prospettive. Sei coraggioso e determinato, ottime qualita' per un CEO. A quando la prossima startup? ;-)
Ciao, Luca
Comment Posted at 01:40
Marco said...
Good Luck for your next adventure...you're a great person!
E l'Italia che continuerà ad innovare non potrà non prenderti come esempio. Complimenti davvero
Comment Posted at 10:48
Simone Brunozzi said...
Bella storia, Fabrizio!
Complimenti :)
Post a Comment