The Real Silicon Valley
The real Silicon Valley will never be televised. What really happens here is far too personal, secret, alienating, and extreme. It runs the entire gamut of human emotions, from billion dollar acquisitions on the one hand, to co-founders committing suicide on the other. I’m not being dramatic. I have witnessed both of these extremes happen to friends. More than once.
Trying to make it in the Valley is all the thrill and drama you need. Blindly careening into the unknown with your laptop, a good friend and co-founder, a server, and an idea that only you believe in. You race against the clock trying to pick yourself up by your bootstraps while piecing together a product that people want before you run out of money and are forced out of existence. Normal people, who have normal jobs working for other people, can no longer relate to you, and you can’t relate to them.
Your startup becomes your sole priority and passion; nothing else matters. Relationships and parties are distractions that we rarely allow ourselves because we’ve been consumed by a greater purpose and motivation. When you put everything on the line and invest every ounce of yourself into something you truly believe in, you just don’t think about anything else. It’s an alternate plane of existence.
“Being an entrepreneur is like jumping out of an airplane with all the materials needed to build a parachute.” - Glen Blickenstaff
Silicon Valley is a magical place where entrepreneurs realize they’re not alone. It’s a place where you learn that inspiration should be embraced and you shouldn’t be afraid to pursue it. A place where you’re allowed to dream big, and people won’t think you’re crazy – but actually support you and tell you that you can do it. This is the culture and DNA of Silicon Valley that makes it unique.