Submitted by Mark St. Cyr
Why Silicon Valley’s “It’s Different This Time” Is Now A Broken Record
Like a broken record whenever a profit measure was asked of “Silicon Valley” (i.e., everything social or tech) as to when something would either be profitable or, begin returning investor cash with either net profits or dividends. The response was always the same “It’s different this time.” Meaning: there aren’t any now, but just you wait! Some are still waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and….
The only reason this retort was tolerated for as long as it had been is for that other “it’s different this time” meme that took hold in unison when it came to everything one thought they understood about investing, free markets and capitalism itself: quantitative easing e.g., QE.
As long as the Fed enabled “free money” to chase momentum plays – the gravy train to cash-out-riches was running on rails. Yet, here too investors, savers, and more would ask “When does normalization type policies begin that benefit the prudent balance sheet or fiscally responsible?” And here the retort was much same, “Not now, but just you wait!” And again they too are still waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and…
Of course the answer to the question of why we’re waiting is, you guessed it – “it’s different this time.” Four words that replaced a teenager’s one word answer to everything: “Because!” But that’s what a Ph.D is for I guess – making the simple more complex. But I digress.
However, today there are visible cracks showing in the armor of that once fool-proof defense. Everywhere you look (but you have to open your eyes too see) the once celebrated IPO cash-out where dreams and fortunes are made regardless if the business model works, stable, or is even viable, has been all but erased 4 months into 2016. And how much longer it goes on is anyone’s guess.
As we stand today, as of this writing, there have been zero IPO’s of any “unicorns.” Zero, as in zip, zero, nada. Why? Is it – different this time?
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