Public apology to TechCrunch

Clicky's success gets to me sometimes. The last few weeks have been particularly stressful. A week ago I was having an awful day and somehow ended up writing a nasty email to TechCrunch for no good reason. I really wasn't expecting anything of it, but a few days later Michael made me drama story of the week.

I'm not mad at Michael for posting my email. I got what I deserved. This post is my public apology to him, and to TechCrunch. I sounded like a damn fool and I've permanently damaged the brand I've worked so hard to build over the last 2 years. That email does not represent who I am in any way. I am confident that any of my customers would attest to the fact that when it comes to my business, I am professional, respectful, helpful, and quick to respond with any questions or problems they may be having. Everyone is stupid when they're mad and my email is a perfect example of that.

A few months ago, TechCrunch wrote us up when we released public stats on Google Chrome usage. Clicky had been mentioned in passing before but this was the first TechCrunch story specifically about us. We were obviously excited, and we got a ton of new users because of it. Now we will probably never get mentioned by them again.

I'm not expecting this post to change that, but I want Michael to know that I am truly sorry for the things I said.

42 comments | Nov 11 2008 1:10am

Reader Comments

Sean,

For what is worth, I think you handled this the best way possible. Hopefully, people will separate your personal e-mail to TechCrunch from GetClicky. Well, if not at least I can tell you I did :-)

I am a costumer who really likes Clicky, so I am not going anywhere.

All the best,
Felipe Coury

Felipe Coury Nov 11 2008 3:55am

I wouldn't worry about it. To me as a neutral third party, (1) your original e-mail to Arrington doesn't sound that bad, and (2) Arrington's response doesn't sound like he's that pissed off.

I think publicly publishing e-mails is sleazy, myself.

Mark Nov 11 2008 4:24am

I'm totally cool either way on this topic. I love the product and you have been nothing but great to the Clicky community.

Just to call it out, this is not isolated to a single personal email that Mike posted.

I've personally caught at least a handful of snarky comments in the TechCrunch:

example: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/22/google-analytics-gets-a-major-ugrade-adsense-custom-reports-api-bubble-charts/

Frank Nov 11 2008 4:24am

it happens to the best of us. As a young professional I have taken something from your experience

Jamaipanese Nov 11 2008 4:30am

Get your emotion down in an email then come back and read it the next day. It's an approach that has always worked for me, and you'd have probably changed a few things! The strength of the Clicky approach is not based on a few reviews but the inclusive approach you have to engaging the users of the service. That's the added value.
Glyn

Glyn Nov 11 2008 7:29am

Yes, it always pays to bear in mind when committing *anything* to the internet that there's always the possibility it'll get posted publicly, or somehow revealed to those you'd rather it didn't. I've been bitten before by having private administrative emails and such exposed, and now write little that could be used against me. ;)

Ryan Williams Nov 11 2008 7:56am

Hey, Sean, I read about Clicky in summer, not on TechCrunch, but on another techy-geeky website out there. I have been using various analytical tools to monitor and study the traffic of my blog, going through Google Analytics, SiteMeter, StatCounter, and FeedBurner. It was only GetClicky that gave me the metrics I needed, namely - the complete visitor path on the blog. I still don't know if someone just closes the browser or returns to search results, but if they follow the outbound link, I know this. Needless to say, this elucidates the value of a post.

Re: your email to TechCrunch - for me who is always curious about the ethics of the media (both traditional and online), this is just a very bright example of how to play or not to play by the rules. The whole notion of arrogance is surely being debated by the most arrogant people out there, comes the test - and this is when one has got to stop and think: what should I do? If I am not arrogant, where will it get me?

So, a very good lesson, and a very good example. :-)

By the way, I'm obviously staying with Clicky: just as I continue watching and listening to the BBC despite the fact that, for all its goodness, the company sometimes gets its face right in the mud.

All the best, J.

Julia Nov 11 2008 8:15am

I can vouch for you being nothing but professional and helpful with my interactions with you and Clicky.
Don't beat yourself up too much. I think we've all written emails we regret. Unfortunately yours was published to TC. (which I don't really agree with, but MA does things his own way, and it seems to work for him... i guess)

Thinking back to when I started my web service and it started getting a little attention- I poured my heart and soul into it. And I would do anything to defend it... which meant going on public forums and getting into bickering matches with my detractors. Yeah, you can imagine how well that ended.

Anyway, just wanted to say I can sorta-relate. You've got a great product and service, let it speak for itself. And as someone else mentioned- TYPE those emails, just don't click SEND until you have a chance to re-read it the next day with a clear head. ;-)

adam Nov 11 2008 8:31am

Sean

who cares, really, we all write that shit and sometimes it goes good and others bad, nobody here is going to think you're unprofessional, hell, some people here are probably worse and sometimes I do worse things, I dont consider it bad unless it's an everyday event that happens cause you're a dick.

pfff, just say you were drunk and did it for the lulz

chris

Christopher Thomas Nov 11 2008 10:46am

Thanks everyone! I agree, I should sleep on this type of email before sending it. If I had done that, I'm sure I would have just deleted it and moved on. But the moment got to me.

I do think Michael made me out to be much more of a prick than I really was. But I still regret sending that email, so I felt that an apology was necessary. I sent Mike a link to this post but he hasn't responded so I dont know if he'll ever see it.

Frank - yeah, I can get snarky on there. That one you linked to is a good example of the frustrations I have had with TechCrunch recently. Google did a bunch of stuff in our niche, that we already did. And who got covered for it? Google, of course. Just like Facebook got covered 4 times for crowd sourced translations, and we didn't. Well, now we did, but not in the way I would have hoped :)

Sean (Clicky) Nov 11 2008 1:31pm

For some reason I think that both Mike and Sean could learn something from this experience, as told by Twista.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSYDbpOuYUE

Keep it classy techcrunch!!!

jdoo Nov 11 2008 4:21pm

Sean,

you were just being passionate and defending getclicky. That's totally understandable and cannot hurt in any way what people think about the product. I agree you may not win some new customers from techcrunch, but if someone got hurt with the publication of the email was techcrunch. Mike shouldn't post the contents of the mail you sent him and he showed himself as a crybaby, not you.

Keep up the good work.

Srgio Rebelo Nov 11 2008 4:29pm

Sean,

I support you 100% because you are passionate about your product. I have truly enjoyed Clicky and would easily name it in my top 10 favorite web 2.0 SASS list.

Your product support has been amazing, excellent and far above the average in terms of quality answers, feature releases, response time, communication on services issues and overall attention to detail.

You got pissed, oh well. I'd much rather have a passionately pissed off programmer behind my software services than an apathetic lazy pants.

Adria Richards, butyoureagirl.com Nov 12 2008 12:47am

Hi Sean

whatever the pros and cons of that email ... doesn't matter. What does matter is that you've already done an awesome job with the product; you were responsive to your community of users and customers; and you continue to make a kick-ass product. Keep up the great work. I use Clicky on all my sites and check it every day.

best,
Augustine
http://picturesandbox.com

Augustine Fou, Picturesandbox.com Nov 12 2008 3:54am

You are an avid reader of TechCrunch and have an opinion.. that's not a crime. You showed your passion, your dedication and your skill. You've built something and scaled Clicky to compete with the big boys.

To me Clicky is built by a programmer for programmers. The rawness is your brand. I don't think you hurt it. You've just showed the realness. There's no crime in authenticity.

Adam Nov 12 2008 4:01am

Great Marketing. Period.

Stephen Nov 12 2008 6:01am

Sean,

Don't beat yourself up on this one. I don't think what you said was that offensive anyway.

Stay cool and keep up the amazing work you do.

Cheers,

James

JamesSpratt.org Nov 12 2008 6:21am

Your email does make you look a bit hotheaded to say the least. But, you know the best way to have solved this and to have perhaps persuaded TechCrunch that you're really an okay guy and that you were just a bit pissed at Facebook and not TechCrunch would have been to give Michael a call and have a chat man to man. If you're in the same neighbourhood you could even have met for a beer and talked about how great GetClicky is gave him some of the spin. It may not be too late. Emails and comment forms are highly impersonal and always look worse on re-reading, but a phone call or a meeting cannot be beat for building bridges.

(By the way if you send an email to a journalist, especially one like this, you've only yourself to blame if they use it to write a story, it's not sleazy, it's journalism).

db

David Bradley Nov 12 2008 7:29am

Sean,

You are getting oodles of publicity, And that is fantastic!

Keep up your good work.

Vernon Chalmers

Vernon Chalmers Nov 12 2008 7:45am

Good work on the product Sean. When you are so mad and coding for long periods of time and supporting your customers things like this happen. But to TC? Anyway, thanks for a great product. I use both Google Analytics and Clicky and appreciate all the efforts that you put on this product.

Best
Collagist.com

Collagist Nov 12 2008 9:30am

Sean,

Your product is the best tool out there and a TON of people support you. Keep focused on continued growth and continuing to make Clicky the best of the best!

WebSight

WebSight Nov 12 2008 9:54am

Sean,

Keep your head up and stay focused on this beautiful baby you have growing. You have a lot to be proud of. Clicky is awesome, and you've been nothing but professional and accommodating for us. We're a proud Clicky user, and will remain so well into the future!!

Cheers,
James.

James Cogan Nov 12 2008 1:01pm

You guys are awesome, you know that?

Sean (Clicky) Nov 12 2008 5:37pm

Well put it this way... I wouldn't be using the site if I hadn't seen the TechCrunch post yesterday.

Jimmy Nov 12 2008 6:39pm

Personally did not see anything wrong with the email unless I over looked something. Paying customer and will continue to be.

larfus Nov 12 2008 7:40pm

I personally don't think your email was that bad either. We loyal customers who LOVE the service ain't going nowhere :)
And I actually didn't know you built the entire framework on your own! Being a web developer myself I know that's really impressive. Keep up the great work!

Zaam Nov 13 2008 12:20am

I can imagine how Techcrunch's narcism can be frustrating sometimes. Your software is extraordinary in its quality, so give it some time, and you'll notice that you don't need their big mouths to meet your goals. You have proven to be the proud owner of some large cohones refusing to be another Techcrunch ass kisser, and this attitude shines through in your magnificent product as well. Keep it up.

SI Nov 13 2008 2:29am

I think TechCrunch looks worse than GetClicky does in this light. Keep up the good work and kudos for a classy response to an impulsive (but frankly, not at all "drama of the week" caliber) message.

Lorin Rivers Nov 13 2008 7:58am

As long as you keep clicky growing and adding awesome features you can write emails to whomever you like.

Keep up the good work, we all have bad days.

digitalendemic.com Nov 13 2008 8:45am

Whoever has not written an email, letter, or said similar words and later regretted it, pick up the first stone and throw it. For one, I'm glad to know I'm doing business with a guy that realizes his errors...and then does something about it. I work with too many people who never admit they're wrong. And others who, even after they realize they made a mistake, never do anything about it. Your stock went up.

Joe Dacus Nov 14 2008 6:48am

Its alright, Arrington is known for his sensationalist articles and being self-indulgent.

GetClicky is a great product and thats what matters.

Dan McGrady Nov 14 2008 11:50am

Keep up the good. Clicky is an awesome.

TR Nov 14 2008 1:32pm

Hey Sean, don't be so hard on yourself :) I love Clicky, and I know you're cool. And I also know that people won't stop coming to Clicky because it's a hell of a good app.

Hugs!

Holly Nov 15 2008 6:33pm

I think you will get more users for this whole thing and yes we have all done stupid emails.

Reading some of the comments on the TC site you have gotten more users out of this whole thing ;)

dicenet Nov 17 2008 6:42am

I saw this post and was thinking...give it to em! I think posting an e-mail in private is a bit in poor taste in most circumstances. Then I actually read it. And was like wow this is a really dick move, if totally unprovoked. If you got an e-mail poo-pooing it, then I could see something a little more strongly worded.

I don't use your software "yet" but we may someday, and this doesn't make me any more or less likely to use the software. I fly off the handle in my office and at home, but via e-mail with people who I would like to do favors for me...never.

Like any other young entrepreneur, we learn form our mistakes, which is an ongoing process, best of luck with clicky - I am looking forward to using it.

Wil Reynolds Nov 18 2008 10:17am

Stupid things can be done only by SMART peoples. For the others, stupidity is a way of life, nothing to notice about...
I see no reason to ban Clicky great services for such a thing.

Ionel Nov 19 2008 6:30am

Sean you did the right thing with the public apology. We all do things once in a while we regret especially when we are crunching developing something. Software is fun but can also be stressful. I am a developer who like you am a single person company that develops everything we do so I can identify with you. You have done an amazing job with Clicky. Keep up the great work... Thomas A. Markel CEO/CTO MarkelSoft, Inc (MarkelSoft.com)

Thomas A. Markel Nov 19 2008 7:32pm

Now time to grow even more!

Wes Mahler Nov 19 2008 11:28pm

I skipped the article, and so life goes on. If you promise to never, never to do that again. :)

Anyway, Clicky is a great resource for my business and so my hats off to you for that!

After reading all the other posts here, I hope your see that you have no real damage here, just a great service and a great brand!

Kind regards,

-howard

Howard Sander Nov 21 2008 5:47am

dude, you work and talk with your heart. wish more people did that exact same thing!

Chris
http://www.mmorpgblogsearch.com

Chris Nov 23 2008 5:43am

Hey Sean,

Just so you know I've dabbled in as many analytic tools as I have been able to find and am extremely impressed with what you have built.

As far as what happened...it sucks. But never EVER be afraid to speak your mind and be who you are. However, just be prepared for the ramifications of your actions as they not only affect you but GetClicky as well.

Arrington's opinions are overrated. He was smart in what he did, because instead of attacking you back, he attacked you where it would hurt most, and that was GetClicky.

It's just business my friend - it's not personal.

Dave from Dormgear.net Nov 23 2008 10:33am

Hi Sean,

I don't really know much about what was said and how it was interpreted, but I still love the services.

All the best for the future,

Regards,

Dan.

Dan Nov 24 2008 12:42am

Recent Comments

Public apology to TechCrunch

Reader Comments