As most of you are aware, we launched Lostandfound.codes as a chance to generate revenue to support the development of the Mass Address platform. I set up all of the pertinent channels we would need to have a successful launch. Then on August 6th, Google shut us down. I appealed the decision. Rejected. I appealed again restating the fact nobody understood why they decided to close our merchant account.
Google refused to tell us why they shut us down. They actually said they couldn’t tell us for legal reasons. I have searched and searched my emails and I cannot find the exact message they sent us but it was very disturbing. Lostandfound.codes is still making sales but things are much much slower since we cannot use Google. Etsy has been the primary catalyst in driving sales.
IN OTHER NEWS, I had to cut ties with CILA Labs, LLC. I hate to be so blunt about this but they lied to me and scammed investors out of $3500. This is a very important lesson for anyone in the Entrepreneur space. Do your due diligence. THOROUGHLY research any person or organization you are considering as a cofounder. I brought on CILA Labs, LLC as a cofounder because I believed they would deliver a prototype. I mean why else would they ask for 50% of the CAP table AND $5000? Their statement of work SPECIFICALLY stated they would deliver a prototype AND an innovation timeline.
The truth is, I failed to truly see the gravity of Jared Yellin’s vision to build 10,000 tech companies. First off, 8 out of 10 startups fail. PERIOD. But success or failure doesn’t pertain to Jared’s vision. His only goal is to launch 10,000 tech companies. Do you know how difficult that is? It’s not. All you have to do is setup a sales pipeline and get people to come to you with their tech ideas. Everyone and their mother has a tech idea. So Jared will succeed in his vision but not without significant cost on the part of the tech founders. I wouldn’t be surprised if a class action lawsuit is filed against CILA Labs, LLC in the not too distant future.
Here is where things went sour with CILA Labs. On August 2nd, I got a call from an investor. He asked some very pressing questions about CILA Labs I could not answer. So I sent this email to CILA Labs.
Gentlemen,
I got a call from one of my investors today. It was essentially an ass chewing. Basically, they asked me some very pressing questions about our partnership. One of the direct questions I could not answer was, what did CILA labs deliver for 50% of the CAP table and $5000? I couldn't answer any of his questions.
He made me feel like I was scammed. I have been so busy that I haven't sat down and really thought about what has happened over the last few months.
I have nothing to show my investors. I can't even show an investor a wireframe application. I know I haven't been scammed but what am I supposed to say?
Very Respectfully,
Edward W. Hood
Founder
I received no response from Jared or his team for 28 days. Then on 30 August I sent another email.
ALCON
I have given the team plenty of time to respond to my previous email. We still do not have an innovation timeline nor do we have a prototype. Both of those were listed in the scope of work. Please advise.
Edward W. Hood
Founder
This email received a response the next day. Here is what Jared sent me.
Hey man!
I am just jumping in...
Eric emailed you the below...
We LOVE you man - deeply love - but without a clear path forward, a nonviable business model, and a world of unknowns, we need to put a perpetual pause on this idea within the world of CILA. You will always be a member of our family and we welcome future ideas.
See below for what has been done - nothing will be lost - we will move all of this into your name and return the following funds.
Good luck brotha!
---
Software support fees $709.58 (Through July)
Financial Management $600
Legal Fees $187.50
Stripe Fees $145.30
Company Setup: $844
Agreement Generation: $51
Annual Tax: $300
Filing Fee to Dissolve: $10 [If Applicable]
CSC Annual Fee: $381
Pending Legal Fees from Kent drafting Termination Agreements: $400
TOTAL:
$3,628.38
Leftover from $5,000: $1,371.62
In my opinion, CILA Labs didn’t have the technical capability to develop a prototype of the Mass Address application. When I pressed them about it, they got scared and decided to jump ship. This is why they sent me a BS answer to my pressing questions from investors.
Most of the fees they listed are complete BS. I was advised to cut my losses now and get CILA out before big money is involved. Stripe fees? Seriously?? We never sold anything so there was no reason to even have a stripe account.
There were so many red flags soon after I partnered with CILA that I should have got out sooner but I decided to wait until they delivered the scope of work. LESSONS LEARNED
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Well, the lawyers are going back and forth working on severing both of our legal entities. The lawyers are concerned about certain verbiage CILA Labs put in their operating agreement about intellectual property. They want to eliminate the confidentiality agreement. This could only mean they want to develop their own version of Mass Address. Well, I’ll let the lawyers sort that out. The mission must continue.
I have located some outstanding engineers and we have been working on finishing the MVP. They are truly a godsend! I fully expect to have a working MVP by the end of the month. I have enough funding to finish the MVP.
31 December 2021 is my deadline. The source code for Mass Address must be complete by that date. Come Hell or high water, it will be done. I don’t care if I have to sell my car. Blue Chip Accelerator wants to cut a deal but I told them I want to finish the MVP first.
I’m sorry this post was very long but I want to completely transparent about how things are going. Apart from dealing with an unethical business relationships, I have to fight paralyzing anxiety and depression from my military disability. Some days are good and then other days are horrible.
Every single person who has ever founded a tech company has gone through the hell I am going through. It’s part of the process of earning your keep. This is my lifes work. I have spent so much time and treasure building this service that I cannot give up.
Stay tuned for alpha screenshots of the Mass Address front end.