2400 sand hill road, suite 150menlo park, california 94025

www.onset.com

© 2003 onset ventureswritten by shomit ghose

design and illustrations by 1185 design, palo alto california

’Tw

as th

e Nig

ht B

efore C

hristm

as

{with sincere apologies to the departed Henry Livingston, Jr.}

’Twas the Night Before Christmas

as told by onset ventures

on

set ven

tures

’Twas the night before Christmas, and from the hills

to the dalesNot a creature was stirring, not even in Sales!

Prototypes lay ready, cash statements were done

In hopes that ’04 would bring a home run

Our VP of Sales was lost in sweet slumbers

Dreaming of big markets and of hitting bigger numbers

And I was sleep-deprived—I needed a nap

So I put away the Powerpoints and put away the GAAP

When a noise that was rumbly and throaty and growling

Shook us all from our sleep crying, “Who’s that out prowling?”

We gawked in amazement, and someone said “Jeez…”

Because up roared a Beemer, with a team of VCs!

“We do comms, we do enterprise! And what’s more, Bub,

We do medical, and optical, and ‘Raising Mink In Your Tub’!

To the top of the charts! Climbing to a new peak—

Your startup will be featured in the next BUSINESS WEEK!”

And then, to our shock, the door was flung wide

The VCs, amazingly, came bounding inside

They came with Mont Blancs, their laptops, and tweeds

They came, it turned out, to meet our real needs!

A mite chubby and plump, they were wise old elves

And we laughed with delight in spite of ourselves

That we need not be fearful or be at all wary

Was confirmed by email sent to my Blackberry

They said not a word, just rolled up their sleeves

They attacked with great vigor tasks piled to our eaves

They helped us get started through words and through deeds

Through funding, recruiting, strategy and leads

When they were done,and as they were leavin’,

They left on our desks a plan to break even

And we heard the VCs cheer ere they roared out of sight

“Happy Investing to all, and to all a good night!”

your friends at

Warm Holiday Wishes from the Elves at Onset

Leslie Bottorff, Shomit Ghose, Mark Hilderbrand, Rob Kuhling,

Susan Mason, Terry Opdendyk, Bea Pezino, Nicole Walker, Ben Wu

2400 sand hill road, suite 150menlo park, california 94025

www.onset.com

© 2003 onset ventureswritten by shomit ghose

design and illustrations by 1185 design, palo alto california

’Tw

as th

e Nig

ht B

efore C

hristm

as

{with sincere apologies to the departed Henry Livingston, Jr.}

’Twas the Night Before Christmas

as told by onset ventures

on

set ven

tures