Business

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ The differences between New York and Silicon Valley business culture continue to astonish me, almost 15 years after moving to San Francisco. I've seen the game in both places, and, to caricature a few differences, with as much truth as possible... 1:26 PM · Dec 13, 2021·Twitter Web App

In New York, having a relationship means the person will look out for you — be loyal, even — and treat you the way they'd expect to be treated. In Silicon Valley, having a relationship means the person will answer your email — and treat you the way they'd expect to be treated.

In New York, word is bond. It's a repeated game where you'll get iced out if you play in the shade. It's just how it works. In Silicon Valley, people who fail to live up to their word are merely "slippery." An acceptable cost of doing business. It's just how it works.

In New York, leaders build long-standing relationships with leaders in other domains: culture, academia, corporate, advocacy. In Silicon Valley, if tech says it's true, it is! If some other leader: "Who? Where? I've never heard of them so it can't matter. We're the future, man!"

In New York, requesting an introduction is an elaborate dance that may require promises to name children. And then you might only get an intro to their 2nd admin. In Silicon Valley, a sensible introduction can consummate before the requester even finishes asking.

In New York, as people build wealth they gradually learn to give back. Then they mostly socialize with people as rich as they are. In Silicon Valley, wealth arrives in a flash, and people struggle with how to handle it. Then they mostly socialize with people as rich as they are.

In New York, people respect history. So when they innovate they do it with knowledge of what's worked and failed. In Silicon Valley, people ignore history. So they innovate in ways nobody has tried before.

In New York, if the New York Times said it, it's true. Criticisms must all be motivated and baseless. In Silicon Valley, if a tech guru with a Twitter following said it, it's true. Criticisms must all be motivated and baseless.

In New York people try to wildly exceed expectations. In Silicon Valley, people try to be indifferent to expectations.

In New York, people know a little about a lot of things, and people are know-it-alls. In Silicon Valley, focus is a religion, and people are know-it-alls.

In New York, people respect leaders in government, but think what they do is more valuable than what government does.

In Silicon Valley, people ignore leaders in government, and think what they do is more valuable than what government does.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h In New York, people walk and talk faster than in other places. They love speed.

In Silicon Valley, people want to teleport into the metaverse. They love speed.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h In New York, people value success within established institutions, and underrate the importance of new institutions.

In Silicon Valley, people value creating new institutions, and underrate the importance of established institutions.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h New York says it values credentials, and values credentials.

Silicon Valley says it ignores credentials, but values credentials.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h In Silicon Valley, overstated enthusiasm is cool.

In New York, understated enthusiasm is cool.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h In New York, people gain status by giving to non-profits and serving on their boards. People gain status by buying it.

In Silicon Valley, people gain status by angel investing. People gain status by buying it.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h Both drive change. Both contain truth. Both contain complexity (and my caricatures are, obv., oversimplifications). There are, today, elements of New York culture in Silicon Valley, and Silicon Valley culture in New York.

If we can integrate the best of the New York and the Silicon Valley ways, we can drive more and better change.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h P.S. If you're thinking but "not all people in Silicon Valley" or "not all people in New York" then you're right. I guess I failed to capture all the nuance of variety in two long-standing important communities in a tweetstorm.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h P.P.S. If you think this is a "SV rules, NY sucks, LA doesn't matter" thread, it's not. Plenty of other places matter. We've spent time as VCs touring the country, we've spent time as a family living in Milwaukee. My family is all over the world.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat