It made the papers today... Insurance.com is more or less gone as a company. I put two and a half years into the place, which is nothing compared to those who put most of their professional career into it. I can only imagine what a sad day it was, with one last trip to the bowling alley to suck down some beers.
I probably learned more in my time there than I had at most of my other jobs combined, as far as software development goes. I've never had a job where I was surrounded by that many smart people. It was so positive that the dev team, topping out around 16 I think, had almost no turn over the entire time I was there (except for one guy, who wrote shitty code anyway). The only downside for me was that it was sometimes hard for me to get the really interesting work, as it was largely taken up by the senior guys with a stake in the company. Still, it was a great time to get better at what I did.
There were a couple of strategic blunders that occurred before the first round of layoffs, that I believe led to the ultimate end of the company. There were also some other things we chased that had questionable return on investment. But regardless of those details, the problem was a more fundamental one: Investors want growth, and today that seems to be the only reason to even start a company. Start it, grow it, sell it or IPO it. That's a shitty way to be in business.
I say that because it's ridiculous to expect that every business has to grow. A company isn't permitted to simply reach a level of sustainable execution the moment that there are outside investors involved. That's stupid, because no matter how many MBA's you throw at a problem, sometimes there is a place you can plateau, doing something really well, making money at it, and that's that. I personally believe that ICOM could have persisted a very long time without a staffing blitz (and without chasing a secondary business that was addictive like crack, and created the illusion of growth). They never had that luxury when there were investors involved.
In talking with a friend last week about the end, and the time he invested in it, he felt as though he couldn't see the end from the inside, and felt silly for it. I think that's being a little harsh on yourself, as that's something we all do. It's like being in a bad relationship, where you may stay in it just because of the time you invest in it, or because you live with the other person. I'd even say that it was admirable that so many people there felt strongly enough about the business to stay in it as long as they did. It's a shame they couldn't have made some of the higher level decisions instead of the execs.
The advice I'd give to my former co-workers, having been through more layoffs than I care for, is to start by sleeping in. There's something cosmically freeing about not having to get up in the morning in that situation. The next thing to do is look forward to the day when your new job is free of all the constraints of your last job. Sure there will be new challenges, but chances are, the new possibilities will be rewarding and exciting.
And of course, if any of you are interested in the Evil Empire, get your resume to me and I'll be happy to submit it internally. There are literally thousands of job openings, and Microsoft would hugely benefit from you working there. And the benefits kick ass. And you'll get a free phone if you act now. :)
It was a great part of my career, but trust me when I say there are bigger things in your future. Long live ICOM!
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