JadzPortfolio [or CEO's Anonymous]

1. Admit that I am powerless over the Internet, that It is unmanageable and that my product or service will not reign in that chaos (even though I have convinced investors, employees, and journalists of the contrary).
2. Make a decision (well, be informed of the decision) to turn my will and my startup over to the care of our investors.
3. Come to believe that a Power greater than myself can better face the shareholder lawsuits.
4. Make a searching and fearless inventory of my stock options.
5. Admit to my VC's, and to myself, that I outright lied about our product development schedule.
6. Be entirely ready to accept a simpler, more zenlike lifestyle (after my board of directors repossess my BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster, house in Sausalito, and my condo in Pacific Heights).
7. Humbly ask my board to reinstate my stock options.
8. Make a list of all the reasons why I didn't want the stock anyway.
9. Make amends with all the investors who I blew off after getting the Kleiner Perkins meeting.
10. Accept a valuation for my new company that has less zeros than a bowl of cheerios. (Bastards.)
11. Unbeknownst to my new investors, channel every resource of the new company into destroying my old company while publicly denying charges of floating rumors on the Yahoo message boards.
12. Admit that I am powerless over the Internet, that It is unmanageable, and that I could not make a single dollar in profits even if my job depended upon it - which, thank the Internet, it does not.

The CEO is the loneliest person in the company, particularly in a startup. Although the board of directors typically provides some support (and mentoring) for the CEO, they also have a legal, fiduciary responsibility to protect the interests of the company. Hence, the CEO has no peers; no one with which to confide; no one to turn to for support. 

JadzPortfolio is set up as an informal board of directors or advisory board. Unlike a board of directors, however, the members of JadzPortfolio do not have any power or influence over other members (nor any fiduciary responsibilities). Consequently, each member can speak candidly and receive honest feedback without concern about unanticipated consequences. 

CEO's and founders from various companies meet on a monthly basis to share their concerns and frustrations with other individuals in similar situations. If you would like more information about joining the San Francisco chapter, please send an e-mail describing yourself and your company (please include metrics about your company such as funding information, number of employees, and company launch date).