CAJ#4_4 reasons CONTRA

 A startup in the Silicon Valley ? 4 reason CONTRA

If you read my last post, you are probably already waiting for this post. The contra Silicon Valley post. In my last post I talked about how much influence the Silicon Valley took on the development of technology and the current market leaders like Facebook, Google and eBay and about how important it is and what you can reach if you work there. This is also what you mainly find online. People talking or writing about the advantages of working there as you meet people from the same field nearly all the time. Moreover, others will help you and point you in the right direction. Sounds quite great (at least what I thought). Well, don’t be too sure. 

This post will be about the disadvantages of working in the Silicon Valely as I found an article about five guys from Canada who built up a company and moved to the Silicon Valley. They realized after some time that the Silicon Valley can also kill your startup and that is why their advice is

“… take my advice and get the heck out of dodge!”

Talent War

To build up your company and to make it grow you have to hire talents. Of course many young talents come there so there is actually a huge “assortment” to choose from. You will, however, need to compete for engineers with Facebook, Twitter and Google. Companies which offer heated toilet seats, lap pools, napping pods and of course salaries. It’s pretty hard to convince people that a no-name company offers a better workplace than Facebook would.

Money pit

If you build up a company, you are usually not rolling in money. That is why you of course do not want to spend an immense sum of money on a rental space. Unfortunately, this immense sum of money is necessary to find a space to work and life in the Silicon Valley. 

Free cash in your home country

Many startups take full advantage of their state/home/or country incentives. Many countries give startups a massive advantage by giving them a lot of money.

Distractions

Top ten lists, meetups, conferences, demo days and so on. These distractions are in abundance in the Valley. Not a very good thing if you actually want to be focused on your project.

The Silicon Valley can be but does not have to be the perfect place for your startup. I think both sides, pro-Silicon Valley and contra-Silicon Valley have pretty good arguments. Form your own opinion and think about whether you would start your company in the Silicon Valley or not J