A Facebook for Boomers

The tipping point came on the day in September we took the word "preview" off the site (we didn't call it a beta because we try to avoid jargon) and began talking to the press. A new TeeBeeDee member posted a critical item about tbd.com and it was on the front page of our site. Our first reaction was concern—reporters would see a criticism. But before we could respond, the TeeBeeDee community did: members solved his technical questions, and told him what they liked about TeeBeeDee. That member now seems to like us. And we're well on our way to growing the ranks. Our staff of 20 could never create as much content as our membership of thousands has already unleashed. When that membership is in the hundreds of thousands—expected in 2008, based on our first six weeks of growth—I believe we will be making midlife better for us all.

Start-ups are hard. When you've done it before, you don't buy into the romantic image. My 9-year-old daughter tells me sometimes she feels like she spends more time with her sitter than her mother. But she's in this with me as well: she can also hold forth rather eloquently about the difference between starting a company and taking a safer, more secure job—about risk and reward. She wrote recently, "I want to start a Website for YOUNG people, its called TooBooDoo." There is something exhilarating about sharing your experiences with someone. Whether it's with your daughter or a million of your peers. Or both.

Wolaner is the founder and CEO of tbd.com.

© 2007