Note: This post also ran December 26, 2012 in PE Hub.

Well, Christmas has drawn to a close and we will no longer be hearing Christmas music 24-7 in our cars, the mall, the workplace rest rooms.  Do you miss them yet?  Just in case, as a parting shot for the year I thought I’d add one last carol to the holiday ether for those of us connected with the wacky and wonderful world of start-ups.

We all know the 12 Days of Christmas Song, although most of us can never remember all the stupid categories.  For me I can never get those Lords a Leaping, forget the Pipers Piping.  Supposedly either the English or French wrote the song in the late 1700s, leading to more than 300 years of repetitive December radio play and mandatory grade school Christmas pageant inclusion.

According to the most widely accepted version, the gifts on the 12 days of Christmas are as follows:

12 Drummers Drumming

11 Pipers Piping

10 Lords-a-Leaping

9 Ladies Dancing

8 Maids-a-Milking

7 Swans-a-Swimming

6 Geese-a-Laying

5 Gold Rings

4 Colly Birds

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

 

But I was listening to this song and realized that if it had been written in Silicon Valley, it would have a slightly different twist.  For your holiday pleasure, I offer you here an Entrepreneur’s 12 Days of Start-Up Christmas.  I am confident that while singing this, the typical start-up CEO would be wearing the traditional holiday carolling costume: a black t-shirt, blue jeans imbued with the spirit of Starbucks.  Happy Holidays everyone!

An Entrepreneur’s 12 Days of Start-Up Christmas

It’s the 1st day of Christmas and I can hardly see, but I got an investment from a VC!

 

It’s the 2nd day of Christmas and I can hardly see, but I’ve had 2 meals at Bucks

and got an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the third day of Christmas and I can hardly see, but I got $3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 4^th day of Christmas and I can hardly see, but I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 5^th day of Christmas and my co-founders hate me, now I’ve had 5 mood swings! 

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 6^th day of Christmas and I miss my family, so I have 6 nerves-a-fraying,

Compounding 5 mood swings!

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 7^th day of Christmas and damn I need money,  Now I have 7 budgets trimming,

6 nerves-a-fraying,

and 5 mood swings!

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC

 

It’s the 8^th day of Christmas and time to persevere, so I have 8 teams-a-building,

Despite 7 budgets trimming,

6 nerves-a-fraying,

5 mood swings!

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 9^th day of Christmas and oh my goodness me, 9 rounds financing,

To pay for 8 teams-a-building,

Despite 7 budgets trimming,

6 nerves-a-fraying,

5 mood swings!

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 10^th day of Christmas and I am so weary, 10 days no sleeping.

After 9 rounds financing,

To pay for 8 teams-a-building,

After 7 budgets trimming,

6 nerves-a-fraying,

5 mood swings!

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

It’s the 11^th day of Christmas and I just can’t believe, 11 code rewritings

Causing 10 days no sleeping,

After 9 rounds financing,

To pay for 8 teams-a-building,

After 7 budgets trimming,

6 nerves-a-fraying,

5 mood swings!

But I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

But on the 12^th day of Christmas, Karma gave to me, 12 cash buyers coming,

Despite 11 code rewritings,

And 10 days no sleeping,

Taking 9 rounds financing,

To pay for 8 teams-a-building,

After 7 budgets trimming,

6 nerves-a-fraying,

5 mood swings!

but I’ve got 4 programming nerds,

$3K from friends,

2 meals at Bucks,

and an investment from a VC.

 

For you traditionalists, here is my favorite version of the original?