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Should a Teenage Entrepreneur Sell Out To Facebook?

Posted by timothy on from the why-confine-the-question-by-age? dept.

colinneagle writes "Andrew Mayhall is 19 years old and is running a server company, called Evtron, whose product has reportedly set the world record for data density (4.6 petabytes per server rack) and has begun attracting attention from investors. One of those interested parties is reportedly Facebook, with whom the young CEO claims to have had casual discussions about a potential acquisition/hire agreement (Facebook did not respond to a request for comment on the talks). He says the opportunity to speak with Facebook was simply one he couldn't pass up, and seems more impassioned by entrepreneurship. He speaks often of building his company into an EMC or NetApp, and could very well compete with them soon. But if an offer from Facebook ever comes, should he accept, or try to build something on his own?"

7 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. Retire at 20 by smprather · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sell for $5mil and be done with earning a living. Relax and enjoy the rest of your life.

    1. Re:Retire at 20 by X0563511 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What planet you living on? Most people don't even make half that through their whole lives.

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    2. Re:Retire at 20 by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Yeah...we call them stupid.

      Get $5Million clear....invest it in a non-agressive manner, which could still get you like %5 interest annually.

      As long as you don't buy leer jets...you could live easily on about $250K a year pretty readily.....

      I know I could.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    3. Re:Retire at 20 by WhiplashII · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If he started a company in his teens, I doubt he wants to relax the rest of his life...

      He should sell. The reason small companies sell to large companies is to decrease concentration of risk for their owners. He, as an owner of a small company, needs to deconcentrate his risk. He will have another company he wants to work on - he probably already has some ideas. It is far easier to do that after selling your first company, and far harder to do that after missing the only opportunity to sell.

      The simple fact is a cash out event gives you great options for your future work. If you don't sell, there is a high risk that the company will fail before you can personally cash out - this is true of all start-ups.

      --
      while (sig==sig) sig=!sig;
  2. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't sell...license.

  3. Perspective on licensing by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    >> Don't sell...license.

    OK, some perspective from the "buyer" side. When I encounter a company with technology I want, I almost always attempt to LICENSE the technology, not buy the company. Why? Because I can usually get what I want out of the company cheaper and with less hassle than if I bought the company. (Think retaining/motivating employees, etc. too.) Plus, if I become a significant stream of revenue to that company, I can often dictate what the company does with the majority of its development resources if I'm needy enough; in effect, I can get that companies' other customers subsidize my desires.

  4. Re:Is Facebook starting to lose ground? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's why I come here, to be told what an idiot I am.

    You should talk with your daughter more often.