The names of all the smart people who pronounced Facebook itself a “fad” or “worthless” and dissed every new investment in the company as “moronic” could fill a book. Most people have consistently underestimated the power, growth potential, and value of the leading social platforms, including Facebook. Facebook’s $1 billion acquisition of Instagram, for example, which was then a revenueless company with 13 employees, was seen as proof that Mark Zuckerberg was a clueless kid who had no business running a major company. Meanwhile, Facebook is now valued at $175 billion, and Instagram is considered one of the smartest preemptive acquisitions in history. $19 billion for WhatsApp is a much bolder bet than Instagram, but it, too, could end up looking a lot smarter than most people think.
Friday, February 21, 2014
The #1 Rule of the Internet: Never Underestimate Facebook
Henry Blodget:
