[donotreply]
The last 3 weeks have been a bit busy. What did I expect? After all it’s not everyday you get to send out 15 million emails.
Ok , it took just under 3 weeks to send them all out. I was dreading it at the start, thinking I would just get a bombardment of hatred and abuse.
Not so. I can honestly say I have been truly humbled by the messages from people that have come through on email, twitter, linkedIn, medium, UserVoice and various other channels. I forgot how 15 years ago FR had touched so many people — long before Facebook and others.
The general feeling is one of positive sadness — but yes, it’s time to move on. Stories have been flooding my inbox of reunion stories and marriages. It’s been great to read them.
I’ve also been contacted by a huge number of requests to do something with FriendsReunited, and an even larger number of people wanting to do tie ups with Liife and pitch ideas to me.
I do try and answer every email and communication, whether it’s a support email of thanks or abuse (“You fucking Idiot Pankhurst” — yeah thanks mate, note: new idea for website ArseholeReunited) to business opportunities and pitches. After years of no interest in FR, suddenly everyone wants to talk. And the problem is I just dont have enough hours in the day.
What is surprising is actually how many people are trying to do something very similar to Liife. I knew of a number of them but was surprised by so many. Think of an idea and you can be assured that dozens and dozens of other people around the world are also trying to build or grow a similar system.
And then to the requests to take over FR in some shape or form. So many people wanting to do something with it — in some cases without realising the implications of data protection, the value of the brand and domain for instance. I have some ideas too……..
So I apologise if I haven’t got back to everyone, or if I have declined to meet or pick up the phone. Just too much to do already. Hopefully in a couple of months things will have calmed down.
Yeah right!!
