Comments on: Eons Announces Big Layoffs as Company Refocuses on Social Networking: “It Was Kind of Like Survivor.”

By: Unfortune

Unfortune — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:31:15 +0000

[...] to a report on Xconomy, Eons founder Jeff Taylor “called together his remaining staff and engaged in a moment of [...]

By: Cyndy D

Cyndy D — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:38:57 +0000

I joined eons in Sept 2007 I have had nothing but good experiences. Sure based on the comments from other users when eons decided to open up the age limit I was concerned and dissapointed like everyone else.Since then I have peeked at other groups and found the younger members very intelligent, highly articulate and a clear understanding of the current issues, they have taught me. I feel better about America’s future. I haven’t really witnessed or heard from others regarding mouthy,bratty kids.

By: P.Nolin

P.Nolin — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:20:02 +0000

Already since Eons opened the doors to 13+ they have lost several thousands to other boomer sites.

Seniorocity.com has gained 950+ members in just a few days.

Fights have broken out on Eons because the teens are mouthing off and the young girls are hitting on the older guys for money.

It’s turned into a angry community and I for one have gone to Seniorocity and am very happy there.

By: Sher

Sher — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:00:21 +0000

Many members feel that Eons pulled a ‘bait-and-switch’ game when advertising this as a site for those on the “Flip side of 50,” a place for “Boomers: over 50, etc. As of two days ago, it is now a site for those 13 years old and up.

Reading the information here, and reading the overwhelming disappointment of the members, I still wonder why?

By: everett baker

everett baker — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:10:00 +0000

They arent trying to niche to save the site they just opened it up to all ages they are going to drive the boomers away because they don’t want to be harassed online, by marketers and people selling sex sites like the problems you have with yahoo games and other chat room environments.

By: Jeremiah J

Jeremiah J — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 14:38:21 +0000

Interesting. I just joined a site, Seniorocity (www.seniorocity.com) that has apparently has no outside investment, but they “get it” when it comes to building a community.

It doesn’t take $ to build a community, it takes listening and responding.

By: Nathaniel Adam Briggs

Nathaniel Adam Briggs — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 02:50:23 +0000

“The toy that 50+ built, but didn’t get to play with..until now.” – this is the internet, and as the author of both eGenerations.com and SeniorsGrandCentral.com I can tell you there is 50+ life on the internet.

The difference in Facebook, MySpace, eGenerations, and Eons is that every other mention on TV is about Facebook this or MySpace that. Marketing like that pushes crowds.

The second difference is something I read on another blog is the lack of sex. All one has to do is look at the success of erectile dysfunction drugs, and senior sex studies to see human kinds favorite pasttime is alive and well.

The fact is that the 50+ demo is 3 times larger than teens, commands between 67% to 80% of the US wealth, and spends more. This equals opportunity…a lot of it.

Everyone knows that a video showcasing someone ingesting a condiment through the nostrils will draw large 15-30 year old crowds… the question is how do you draw large crowds of experienced adults (50+ give or take).

The answer lies in trying things. Most likely won’t work. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a solution (or many), it just means it has not yet been discovered.

If you look back over the history of the internet’s success stories, many have been rediculous and/or lacking in true value to human kind (good ones out there too, don’t bite my head off here). However the Experience Generations have kinda’ “been there / seen that”, and/or have little interest in much of the rediculousness…es. So a combination of quality, value, and natural attraction is likely the form of the solution – That’s my 12 month theory.

eGenerations.com is my venture, and on many levels has proved that $300.00 and a years worth of around the clock sweat equity of 1 can produce amazing results. (VC Guys feel free to ring me up – I’m lean and don’t need much).

Still however, there is much to be done, and even more to be learned.

That’s my 2 cents!

Nathaniel Adam Briggs, CEO/Founder, eGenerations.com
A Worldwide 50+ Online Destination

By: Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: Sept 19, 2007 (comments requested)

Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: Sept 19, 2007 (comments requested) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:14:43 +0000

[...] Eons reduces staff Eons, which is aimed for a community of members over fifty years of age has trimmed 24 employees. This is one of the first companies in this space I’ve heard of that had that many headcount [...]

By: Content-centric Communities — RED66

Content-centric Communities — RED66 — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:47:15 +0000

[...] over-fifty crowd, headed by the founder of job-site Monster.com. After raising $32M, Eons is now cutting it’s workforce in half – not exactly a measure of [...]

By: 93South - Thoughts on New England Web 2.0 » Over $210 Million Announced, Beta Launches and The End is Near? - The Week in Review

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 17:14:38 +0000

[...] of the week. The site that was setup to bring together the active 50+ set announced that it was restructuring their organization and laying off 24 of it’s staff in effort to focus on what works and trim [...]

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 19:00:59 +0000

Eons was settin itself up to sell travel which is fine but as they said very time consuming and hard to keep fresh and updated.

There are a slew of people who offer trips, travel opportunities who are actual members connecting with other members. Of course there are those who are pushing the MLM type of travel but they won’t last long.

I hope the downsizing will be the ticket for this company. I have met some wonderful people on the site and enjoy the interaction with others.

Every company reorganizes and changes this is just a correction in this fun & needed website. Thanks Eons

By: Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:51:46 +0000

Can’t help wondering whether a company with 60 or 70 staff that has a “Senior Vice President of Strategic Development” isn’t in deep trouble before from the very beginning.

By: from the inside

from the inside — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:30:25 +0000

Obits – as a feature although a good concept – leading to user interaction, driveing page views, building community.. the execution lackluster at best, thin content, poor design, a scattered non-cohesive user experience. It could have been done well.

By: The Savvy Boomer

The Savvy Boomer — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:01:49 +0000

The only surprise here is that Eons is the first to wobble given their deep pockets compared to all the other sites that have entered this space in the last few months.
We boomers don’t need or want our own social networking sites. I posted a rant on my blog about this a few weeks ago if you’re interested in getting a boomer’s perspective.
http://www.thesavvyboomer.com/the_savvy_boomer/2007/08/another-new-boo.html

By: VentureBeat » Roundup: Eons cuts, Mercora, Facebook break-even, Mojiti and advertising decline?

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:04:02 +0000

[...] Eons, social network for 50-plus, cuts a third of staff — This is a surprising move, for such a young company. Xconomy has details. [...]

By: Mike B

Mike B — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:38:11 +0000

I bet sequoia is having fun watching their investment go up in smoke. And how about those “awesome” Eons commercials?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HhA97pJ8lcg&mode=related&search=

This is worse than pets.com in 1999.

By: Robert Buderi

Robert Buderi — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:44:32 +0000

Dear anon,

I can assure you nothing is fabricated–we don’t work that way here. Maybe for the same reasons you want to be anonymous our source wanted to stay unnamed.

We are very interested in learning more, and if you would care to talk, please email me at: editors@xconomy.com

Bob Buderi

By: anon

anon — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:38:41 +0000

coming from one of the people laid off … most of this article is bullshit. i’ll bet my iphone 3/4 of those quotes are fabricated …

By: Eons mass layoff | TechWag

Eons mass layoff | TechWag — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:52:13 +0000

[...] 1/3 of the staff is now history, 24 folks layed off last night. Despite any trauma of the layoffs, the retrenching seems to have been a much-needed move. Both General Catalyst and Sequoia reportedly pressed for the changes, saying the company was too big and unfocused. Eons’ site right now has nine major categories: people, fun, love, money, body, lifepath, obits, games, and travel. According to the company and our source, it will no longer pursue areas like obits (offering online obits was a core premise of Eons at its founding) and travel, which are time consuming and costly to keep updated with fresh content. “Obits and travel, they’re just probably going to be spun off,” the source said. “They really need more investment, more concentrated focus.” Source: xconomy [...]

By: Eons Lays Off 24 Employees

Eons Lays Off 24 Employees — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:56:19 +0000

[...] [via Xconomy] Link to This Post: [...]