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

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h 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.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h 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.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h In New York people try to wildly exceed expectations. In Silicon Valley, people try to be indifferent to expectations.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h 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.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 20h 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.

20h 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 · 20h If you want to comment on, dunk, praise, share, etc., the top of the thread was here... Quote Tweet Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat

· 20h

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... Show this thread

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 19h Quote Tweet Anil Dash @anildash

· 19h

Obviously, any such comparison will be reductive and necessarily inaccurate, but directionally this thread is pretty strong. Would also highlight that in NYC, tech folks are keenly aware of, and interested in, the community around them. Was not my experience living in SF. twitter.com/roybahat/statu…

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 19h https://twitter.com/BobbyBigWheel/status/1470478752551473160 This Tweet is unavailable.

Roy E. Bahat ⠕ @roybahat · 18h Quote Tweet Mike Wamungu @MikeWamungu

· 18h

Wall Street and Sand Hill Road really just this meme but in different costumes. twitter.com/roybahat/statu…