I spent the last 10 days evaluating the Silicon Valley operations.
What makes this place special? A scale of 0-100.
I thought the weather might have something to do with it. If San Francisco has a reputation for fog – not to be confused with mystique – and wind, the southern part of the Bay Area enjoys a much warmer climate in winter and summer. Just so you know, there’s no such thing as summer in San Francisco, I learned the hard way in 2004 when I participated in an international gift fair in July, a jacket and sweater were essential, and hats, gloves, and boots. recommended. The South Bay also doesn’t have the wind that sweeps the streets of San Francisco. but no, it’s not the weather.
I thought it could be related to technology, there are tons of fascinating companies. I had the privilege of visiting a startup: interabangnet.com right in the heart of a video game incubator. The HP, Apple, and Google headquarters are fascinating, but there are plenty of other companies around, and it’s a bubbly place … but no, there are plenty of other tech hubs around the world.
I thought it could be cash flow, here and there there are angel investors and venture capitalists, you might come across one. I was told that one of my favorite places, Coupa Cafe, in Palo Alto, is a must to attract investor interest, the other place seems to be Il Fornaio, nearby. I had meetings in both places and still Coupa Café is still a favorite place for me as it shows a Venezuelan flavor. But no, it’s not the cash, there are many other places where cash abounds …
They are not tax advantages … nor legal advantages … It is expensive to hire employees in California and run a company, not because the salaries are high but on the contrary, because the costs of the company are high. The environment is NOT easy for businesses.
What makes the difference in Silicon Valley are the people. From all walks of life, people are committing to their own personal development and in parallel with economic development. Hence a virtuous circle arises. A person does not expect the state, business, or family to be responsible for their life. From a cleaner to a welder to a consultant to a scientist, everyone is driven by a healthy sense of responsibility that I call RESPONSIBILITY. As a result, people have the perception that what happens to them is the result of their actions.
It reminded me of a conversation with an academic colleague about grading. If I score on the scale of 0 to 100, and another teacher scores according to their own standards of 40-80, we notice two very interesting behaviors: low grade students will move to the 40-80 class and – grade students will move to the class of 0-100. BUT, the broader range class will encourage students to study more and seek better grades, not only because a 100 is possible, but because a 0 (zero) is also a possibility.
Silicon Valley is a larger-scale place … those who want to succeed feel they can and are therefore motivated to do so. Those who can’t move or keep up … Instead of winning, people get excited and it’s contagious. It’s the same excitement that arose in Packard’s (HP co-founder) garage – see photo – and has kept the area vibrating for decades.
So the lesson is this: if you want to get the most out of your life … go on a 0-100 scale, or force yourself to think on a 0-100 scale.
I know life doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to be worth it … so I prefer the broader scales, always!
Alicia
