The Media Interview

Sometimes a surprise media interview isn’t a welcome thing:

In a small, windowless conference room in downtown Mountain View later the same day, [Roger] Lee [of venture capital firm Battery Ventures] does his best to introduce a six-month-old startup to a Mercury News reporter. But the company’s 25-year-old founder, whose mirrored sunglasses sit perched atop his closely cropped hair, only wants to talk about the ground rules for the interview.

“I’ve given this some thought, and none of this can go on the record,” he says. “Not my name, not the name of this company, not the names of potential customers.”

“If (the customers) read that we’re 13 guys in a cramped office, their perceived risk is much higher,” he continues. Plus, he says, lowering his voice, “one of my competitors is keeping very close tabs on me. I don’t want him to Google my name and find this story.”

It’s an awkward exchange for which Lee apologizes an hour later, after the meeting ends.

Thanks to Don’t Eat the Shrimp for pointing me to this San Jose Mercury News story.