My moment of fame with Sarah Lacy

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I hate to disappoint everyone, I know I have a reputation but if you’re thinking for even one minute that I’m gonna take on or bash Sarah Lacy you must be out of your friggin mind! Listen, I don’t mind taking on VC (who likes VC anyway?). Nor do I mind banter at Smitty from Koprol, he has a good sense of humor. Taking on Google, cape deh, too easy. I mean things like that are good for the visits and KPI’s of this struggling blog startup but taking on Sarah Lacy is like risking instant suicide. She can crush me within a heartbeat, instant banishment from the digital world. Facebook profile deactivated, kicked out of Twitter and eternal mailbombs. My VC will instantly pull the plug and I will probably be the most hated person in the global digital community. Rule #1: don’t touch Sarah! Get it? Capice?

No, this post is about self mockery. This is about another awkward moment during an introduction which I seem to have many lately, so bare with me for a minute.

For the few that don’t know Sarah Lacy, she’s an awarded journalist, writes books and knows everyone that means anything in Silicon Valley and beyond. Who do they call to do an interview with Mark “Facebook” Zuckerberg? Right, Sarah Lacy a.k.a. Valley Girl! Who do you call when you have a hot startup and you’re looking for VC? You get the point, one nice article or even a small reference and VC’s will be trampling at your doorstep.

Currently she’s a senior editor at TechCrunch, the most influential tech blog in the Valley, is travelling around the world visiting emerging markets and finding the next hot startups. Sarah travels days through the Sahara eating whatever the dessert has to offer for a new payment system that will rock the region. She will endure the freezing cold in Siberia just to talk to the guy behind the one local player Facebook can’t seem to beat. She’s tough, committed, eager and widely respected. And don’t anyone dare to backtalk me with the whole Mark Zuckerberg interview incident, that will result in a lifetime block from the most popular blog, sangapedas that is, in Indonesia (I was taught that claiming a title works so there you go).

November 5th 2010, start of the Sparxup event where Sarah would attend as a keynote speaker, would I get a chance to meet her? Would I get my 1 minute of fame? Well, in the morning I already got close. After her keynote speech she sat at the same table but didn’t pay much attention to me, after all, who in the Valley has heard of Tokobagus or let alone SangatPedas.com?

But, lucky me, later that day during the startup pitches Sarah showed up again and my luck is that a good friend of mine in the VC world, let’s call him Mi Hau, would introduce me to Sarah. Was he maybe bluffin’ like VC’s tend to do sometimes? Nope, this was the real deal. I was chatting with Mi Hau and Sarah came up to us and with a beautiful smile greeted Mi Hau, who then, unselfish as he is, straightly introduced me to her. “Ok, stay cool and don’t fuck up” was I thinking. So as usual I chose to follow protocol by saying my name, asking how she’s doing and in the meanwhile, in one smooth move, taking out a business card from my pocket (come prepared) and handing it over to Sarah. I mean what could go wrong here? Well, just about everything! She completely ignored my business card.

Awkward!

And remember guys, this was not long after my weird introduction to Smitty from Yahoo/Koprol which didn’t do my ego much good. So, I was standing there with my business card handed out thinking: “She must be thinking here’s another geek wanting to get his one minute of fame, if I just ignore him he’ll probably go away” or “is he trying to pick me up here?” or “is this guy for real??” or maybe she just didn’t see the card, who knows? Should I wave it in front of her eyes asking her if she’s blind? Think! Think! Think! But my brain failed me and all I could think was what the hell! I was breaking out in a cold sweat. Who’s watching this? Anyone? To be honest, if this would happen to anyone else I would probably seriously be laughing my ass off, so just as smoothly as I took out my business card I put it back and pretend it never happened.

So after this “incident” I told Mi Hau the story because apparently he also didn’t notice it (too much distraction maybe??). But there was still hope. Apparently there was an after party for the organizers, finalists and several influential people in the Industry. Wow! I’m an influential person in the industry? Must have been some kind of mixup here but thanks anyway. Chances were that Sarah would be there too. I mean how many chances can you get and screw up? And indeed she was there and I called in a favor from mr. Bacardi and miss Coke (that is the softdrink), normally a perfect combination for me. While joking with Mi Hau how I smoothly positioned myself next to her already three other probably more eager startup guys pushed themselves between me and Sarah.

Time to call it a quits! No chance! Mission Impossible! What the hell was I thinking? Sarah is a goddess, an unreachable rockstar in the digital world. This was like being 16 years old all over again, utter and clear rejection. No shortcut to fame and wealth. No instant recognition. Instead the prospect of years of hard labor trying to build the next hot Internet company. Ah well, farewell Sarah, good luck in Africa, Siberia or where ever you’re off to. I’ll be reading your blog, watching your videos in the hope that some day I will get my one minute of fame….

20 Comments

  1. wakakakak.. lol.. sangatlucu.com
    where else i can read your boss on your company writing like this?? no my friend. i would not put any high class writing presentations which could this sangatpedas done and well done in honest and act III plots narations. this indeed worth a smile and i can bet, the next third comments after me would be sarah herself. so please, if you really are a gooddes and woul help the some one randomly, please comment on this sarah. wakakakak… ops, just fall from my chair. hiks ha ha ahhh..

  2. If I were you I would say this: “Hi Sarah, I love your book, already read it like 5 times, what was that again.. yeah the “Once You’re Good Twice You’re Lucky”"

    Probably would’ve had a better chance

  3. @Azwar, but that’s sucking up and I never read her book, maybe I should
    @pemales: thanks! If only she would

  4. Sarah will travel to Bali with hours boring flight, facing traffic jams at bypass and definitely asking here and there just to find me the founder of the next big things on the web

    i will not give her my card but definitely my biography, so she can read it over and over again, i am waiting sarah:)

  5. wakaka, this one’s so funny Remco. Maybe you should got 5-6 shots of Baccardi that nite, and you mite get your 1 minute of fame

  6. Thanks Agus, much appreciated.

  7. seem sarah lacy apologized with u already, remco. wow! u got drink invited too. look like u will get ur moment of fame with Sarah Lacy. can i go with u? hehehe

    i think i should know anita point of view why sarah lacy become her fave. really ask anita about it!

  8. *typo: really NEED ask anita about it!

  9. I FEEL LIKE THE BIGGEST JERK IN THE WORLD! I’m so sorry. I swear to God I didn’t see it- I was really exhausted that night. I would never not take a business card, because I was raised with Southern manners and because you never know who is the next Mark Zuckerberg. I have so much respect for anyone who takes the time to read my stuff and start their own company.

    The next time in Jakarta I promise to grab a drink *and* your business card! I was hoping the volcano would cancel my flight and I could stay longer, but no dice. Thanks for reading and for all the kind words.

  10. If mr sangatpedas comments not count, i win my bet. Thanks Sarah. A live goddess and gooddes. When sangatpedas became another next Sarah, he would be commenting to someone else blog with titled “My momment of fame with Sangatpedas”
    lol

  11. Hi Sarah, thanks for the kind and sporty response but it was certainly not my intention to make you feel or look like a jerk. Just your presence and this ‘incident’ inspired me to write a parody on people trying to get your attention with the hope that will bring them almost instant fortune & success.

    Anyway, I’ll gladly take you up on that drink next time you’re in Jakarta, and in the mean time just keep us startup dreamers posted on what’s happening. Cheers!

  12. Pingback: Tweets that mention My moment of fame with Sarah Lacy | Sangat Pedas -- Topsy.com

  13. How is the whether in Jersey this time ??

  14. How does the blogger come up with the most insane article ??

  15. @Kathy: not sure how to interpret “insane” in this context Could you clarify? Anyway, I already explained the reason for this article in my response to Sarah’s comment.

  16. When I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to become a wedding planner. I thought of that kind of career very interesting and I always enjoy watching and going to weddings since for me its one wonderful event that is celebrated by two people who are in love.

  17. i really like how sarah respond it

    well alice, sarah lacy still my fave. always. -no matter what remco said- beside remco just write parody, like he said so

    btw, i like ur ironic sense of humor, remco

  18. @Anita: Glad you get it, this was just a parody and I have absolutely nothing against Sarah. I think the parody makes me look more like a fool than Sarah

  19. I enjoy the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content .

  20. I simply love studying your blog! some other great post.

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