Gratitude

It was almost a two-year journey to get Pegasus News launched, and we're entrepreneurs -- so we never consider ourselves out of the woods.  And while we're having the time of our lives, it has been and continues to be an uphill struggle.

We literally wouldn't be here if it weren't for the kindness of an amazing group of friends and family who save our sorry asses from extinction on a daily basis:

Our original partners who had to move on to bigger and better things

Kevin McCrea moved cross-country to be a part of this, and until he got sucked back into the world of politics, he was one of the three musketeers. Kevin pulled together the political database, developed partnerships, shot photos, kept the books, acted as "HR," and did a lot of the unglamorous work that has to be done in a start-up.

Joe Stultz was our original CFO and a partner in the business during its infancy. Even though our financial model evolves hourly, it is all based on his original draft.

Key staffers who had to move on to bigger and better things

Joey Merz was our original CTO, and directed the early stages of our software development and the original logistical implementation plan for The Daily You™.

Donte and Duby were our original editorial team.

Other key staffers who rolled through and made a huge difference: Caroline North, Huong Nguyen, Kaitlin Parker, Caroline Cox, Jill Luttrell, Alexis Reynolds, and Whitney Devin.

Our spouses and significant others who have suffered mightily so we can see this through

Most particularly April Powell, Mike's wife, who not only put up with this madness from its earliest stages, but also worked a series of difficult, drudgerous jobs with long and cruddy hours to keep this business afloat. Not to mention having to put up with Mike in general.

Jennifer Swanson began dating Gary virtually simultaneously with the birth of Pegasus News. She has been there as the company has grown from an idea tossed around by a couple of guys in a bar to an actual, real site. Along the way, she provided advice and perspective, as well as suffered through numerous late nights, weekends and vacations during which Gary was glued to his computer and/or cell phone. Still, she decided that marrying Gary would be a good idea even though he is often cranky, overly-stressed and sleep-deprived.

All the Pegasus spouses and parents who enabled our team to survive without paychecks for a year and a half.

Mike's Young Presidents Organization Chapter and Forum

Mike's Forum especially provided invaluable advice and support, beyond what you would expect from any group of friends or colleagues. They are wise, probing and always have his back. Without them, we wouldn't be here.

Haynes & Boone

As soon as Mike told Mike Boone what we were trying to do, he sprung into action, and we have had the invaluable counsel and assistance of his firm ever since. Tom Harris, Randy Colson, David Burton and Gary Thompson have gone above and beyond for us ever since.

Manny Ybarra / Pillar Commercial

Manny is an old friend of Mike's, and gave us big-tenant concessions on our lease when he had no rational reason other than our word to believe that we'd ever be able to pay rent. He, and his team, are good people.

The Dallas / Fort Worth music community

We always wanted Pegasus News to have a killer music section. And about a year ago, when we were at one of our lowest points, we relaunched TexasGigs. It wasn't in our original plan to do so, and if it had failed, we would have too. The positive reaction and support we got from the entire community was overwhelming, and we're eternally grateful.

There are too many to mention all, but special love to Pikahsso, Tahiti, Ch0, Picnic, Lazer, Bob Cummins, David Gouldin, Trey Carmichael, Buzz-Oven, Johnny Lloyd Rollins, Steve Austin, Pookie from Urban South, Salim Nourallah, Arlington Jones, Mista Long, Honchie, Max Stalling, Jayson Bales and Thaddeus Fabulous Ford.

Friends and advisors who helped us out of tough spots

Lawrence Journal-World team members past and present: Wilson Miner, Adrian Holovaty, Matt Croydon, Jacob Kaplan-Moss and James Bennett.

Colby Walton and the whole team at Cooksey Communications.

Eric Celeste of Celeste Media. 

Scott Chaffin for helping us navigate a tough situation at a critical time.

Our friends at D, who gave us good press more often than we deserved. 

Alan Mutter, for always giving correct advice, even if it wasn't always what we wanted to hear.

Ron Kieves for helping us navigate the world of registered card technology. 

Jim McManus for being a good sport after a bad beat that allowed Mike to win our incorporation fees in a poker hand he had no business playing in, much less winning. 

The 500-some people who bought $1 lifetime subscriptions to Pegasus News back in the spring of 2005, when we needed to make a point. Your faith and generosity will not be forgotten.

And to anyone we may have forgotten, our apologies. 

Mike Orren and Gary Cohen
December 1, 2006
Updated March 29, 2007