There are many reasons Optimal failed (a dysfunctional founding team, changing the CEO three times, impatient VCs watching the .com boom pass Optimal by).

But the most important lesson I learnt was: start your own damn company. It's much more fun to be a founder than one of the first employees.

For once I was surrounded by non-entrepreneurs asking tough questions, i didnt exactly have answers to. Entrepreneurs rarely ask each other tough questions (they want to make friends and network). These journalism professionals actually cared about their industry and its sustainability not the hope that someone will buy their company and make them rich.