I don't normally do this but...the SR-71 was not a fighter jet. It was a strategic reconnaissance aircraft.
It makes for a nice story, though, doesn't it?
Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
21–30 of 55 posts
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#22Silicon Valley is a beautiful area as is Tel Aviv and Singapore, but none of these places is going to change who you are or the decisions you make. Working long hours is not a function of where you live. It's a choice. I checked out the website for the company OP mentioned selling. The about page is not filled in with content, leading me to a conclusion that it's not really a fully thought through idea, let alone a c…
> Working long hours is not a function of where you live. It's a choice. Our choices are often informed, for better or worse, by those around us. And, for those for whom compensation is attached directly to how many hours they spend working (when you think about it, this group includes plenty of people on "salary" as well), where you live and the hours you work are directly correlated.
Both of those are true, but part of learning how to make your own choices is learning how to ignore the choices of those around you and adapt to (but not be defined by!) the circumstances you find yourself in.
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#23Silicon Valley is a beautiful area as is Tel Aviv and Singapore, but none of these places is going to change who you are or the decisions you make. Working long hours is not a function of where you live. It's a choice. I checked out the website for the company OP mentioned selling. The about page is not filled in with content, leading me to a conclusion that it's not really a fully thought through idea, let alone a c…
Moving to another country is a great experience, but to your point, it can help perpetuate our illusions rather than remove them.
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
But at the end of the day it's still Silicon Valley #1 by a long shot... and then everyone else duking it out for #2. I don't see a reason to believe the status quo is going to change overnight. Culture tends to shift slowly, and culture is one of the best things SV has going for it.
Culture won't pay for rent. Silicon valley is no longer affordable for actual early stage startups. Even if you can somehow figure out rent, you have to compete with the existing tech giants in the area that can easily pay $150k+ for your engineers. I suspect that this is not sustainable.
Not sustainable for the small startups, that is.
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#25A counterpoint: http://www.quora.com/What-advantages-do-startups-get-from-be...
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#26Do you want to be a big fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond?
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Working long hours is not a function of where you live. It's a choice. Our choices are often informed, for better or worse, by those around us. And, for those for whom compensation is attached directly to how many hours they spend working (when you think about it, this group includes plenty of people on "salary" as well), where you live and the hours you work are directly correlated.
Both of those are true, but part of learning how to make your own choices is learning how to ignore the choices of those around you and adapt to (but not be defined by!) the circumstances you find yourself in.
But adapting to circumstances includes adapting working hours. If companies expect 80 hours a week, you will be fired or have too low salary no matter how great your output is. Then you have to move if you do not want to work those 80 and be employed/work on interesting projects.
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#28Silicon Valley is a beautiful area as is Tel Aviv and Singapore, but none of these places is going to change who you are or the decisions you make. Working long hours is not a function of where you live. It's a choice. I checked out the website for the company OP mentioned selling. The about page is not filled in with content, leading me to a conclusion that it's not really a fully thought through idea, let alone a c…
Moving to another country is a great experience, but to your point, it can help perpetuate our illusions rather than remove them.
I agree but the truth/lies argument is too black and white for me. It sounds like somebody is having a dark day.
I don't think it's a good idea to overthink and start philosophizing about entrepreneurship in general.It does more harm than good.
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#29I feel like this post opens more questions than it tries to answer:
* Ultimately, why he didn't like SV?
* Was there a specific reason for choosing Tel Aviv, over say Berlin or Sydney? (Girlfriend? Is he an Israeli citizen?)
Some quotes are correct only if you frame them, for example: if you’ re passionate enough about your project, you can make it happen anywhere - Care to try in Greece, Nigeria, Syria?
Also, I didn't understand too much about his profile: In the beginning seems like he was a very successful entrepreneur who turned into a VC, insinuating that he made lots of money (== success). Then it gives me the impression that he didn't had a great run.
Anyway, wish him all the best.
Re: Why I Gave Up My Front-Row Seat in Silicon Valley
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
But at the end of the day it's still Silicon Valley #1 by a long shot... and then everyone else duking it out for #2. I don't see a reason to believe the status quo is going to change overnight. Culture tends to shift slowly, and culture is one of the best things SV has going for it.
Culture won't pay for rent. Silicon valley is no longer affordable for actual early stage startups. Even if you can somehow figure out rent, you have to compete with the existing tech giants in the area that can easily pay $150k+ for your engineers. I suspect that this is not sustainable.
It's not the large tech companies that poach employees from small startups, it's other startups. Small startups pose more of a threat to the large, established companies. Some tech giants successfully obtain people by dumping several money trucks on certain sorts of tech talent, precisely because it is so hard to keep them from starting or joining some small venture, which will provide them with autonomy, large impact, and a chance to become fabulously wealthy. The rather cartoonish notions of startup glory also appeal to many.
There's a reason that every company in tech is trying to b.s. people that they either are _really_ a startup (when they are not), or that they are _like_ a startup (yeah, right).