28
February
2008
|
15:11 PM
America/Los_Angeles

Log Off And Tune In - Guide To Startup Success...

We spend way too much time inside our small Silicon Valley worlds. It often feels as if I constantly see the 400 or so people that run this place, and that drive the main conversations here, it is like a high school cafeteria.


I liked it a lot last year, I still like the life here, but increasingly I think the best advice is to get out into the real world occasionally. Yet I know plenty of people that hardly ever, except for family occasions, spend any time outside of the closeted worlds of Silicon Valley.


And I know plenty more that would love to step outside of their geek worlds but don't know how, they don't have the contacts.


I think that's a big mistake. A business will only succeed if it understands the culture of its broader society, and that means getting outside of Silicon Valley's debates on tech esoterica. Do us a favor, figure out which end of the egg we should crack and send us an email, because the world outside doesn't care.


Heck, most of my friends on the East Coast barely will touch Facebook, let alone Twitter. Yet these are just two of our current fascinations.


I spent much of December in London and New York and I learned a lot. I recommend it.


Log off and tune in - is my new recipe for success.


Here is more at my ZDNet column In My Humble Opinion:


The key rule to startup success…

If you spend less time in the the geek world you will get a better perspective on the culture around you. The more you understand that culture the more successful will be your business.


Businesses need to become a part of their broader culture, yet I come across many that aren’t, and don’t understand this point, or understand it only intellectually. That’s why Silicon Valley Watcher reports on the business and culture of Silicon Valley because culture is important to business and vice versa. And there are plenty of interesting stories to tell too.


Geek feast fatigue…and the key rule for startup success