Comments on: You don’t need to be in the Valley http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/ A blog on entrepreneurship, user experience, and web innovation. Published by Fred Oliveira. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:19:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Millarian » Blog Archive » Life outside the Valley http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-41656 Millarian » Blog Archive » Life outside the Valley Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:38:11 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-41656 [...] course, I disagree as do others. What do Skype, Last.fm, Netvibes, Xwiki, and Feedburner have in common? Hint: not Silicon Valley. [...] [...] course, I disagree as do others. What do Skype, Last.fm, Netvibes, Xwiki, and Feedburner have in common? Hint: not Silicon Valley. [...]

]]> By: Webreakstuff » Heading out to Reboot9 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-41138 Webreakstuff » Heading out to Reboot9 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 03:21:17 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-41138 [...] as it is worrying because although it’s a topic quite close to my heart (posted about it three different times, at least), it’s also not the [...] [...] as it is worrying because although it’s a topic quite close to my heart (posted about it three different times, at least), it’s also not the [...]

]]> By: Simple and Loveable » Blog Archive » PlanHQ Hits the News http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-35499 Simple and Loveable » Blog Archive » PlanHQ Hits the News Tue, 01 May 2007 04:33:32 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-35499 [...] coincided nicely with a post at We Break Stuff about why you ‘don’t need to be in the valley’ - and it’s true, while it is [...] [...] coincided nicely with a post at We Break Stuff about why you ‘don’t need to be in the valley’ – and it’s true, while it is [...]

]]> By: To Valley or not to Valley: The Answers in the Silicon « Yoick - Hightechwire http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5583 To Valley or not to Valley: The Answers in the Silicon « Yoick - Hightechwire Tue, 24 Oct 2006 20:57:13 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5583 [...] Both New York VC, Fred Wilson, and Fred from  We Break Stuff  strongly agree. [...] [...] Both New York VC, Fred Wilson, and Fred from  We Break Stuff  strongly agree. [...]

]]> By: Folletto Malefico http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5518 Folletto Malefico Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:20:49 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5518 "When the Valley funds a not-so-great idea they’re just wasting a couple of years of your time, and then you’ll have to try selling your startup on ebay. Great, huh?" Sure, that's a point of view. But: 1. "not-so-great ideas" means also normal ideas. There are hundreds, thousands, if not millions of companies that live very well with normal ideas. Simply, they don't "rock the world". Is this so bad? 2. From a pragmatic point of view, it's still experience. 3. Even great ideas doesn't get funding, often. Living "in the valley" gives you just increased statistical probability of getting funds. That could mean nothing, or everything. Ideas are important, but not all. History is filled with great ideas trashed just because they doesn't get enough momentum. It might not be "great", but still it's "more". :) “When the Valley funds a not-so-great idea they’re just wasting a couple of years of your time, and then you’ll have to try selling your startup on ebay. Great, huh?”

Sure, that’s a point of view.

But:
1. “not-so-great ideas” means also normal ideas. There are hundreds, thousands, if not millions of companies that live very well with normal ideas. Simply, they don’t “rock the world”. Is this so bad?
2. From a pragmatic point of view, it’s still experience.
3. Even great ideas doesn’t get funding, often. Living “in the valley” gives you just increased statistical probability of getting funds. That could mean nothing, or everything.

Ideas are important, but not all. History is filled with great ideas trashed just because they doesn’t get enough momentum.

It might not be “great”, but still it’s “more”. :)

]]> By: Glen Stansbserry http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5511 Glen Stansbserry Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:30:42 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5511 Great article Fred! I couldn't agree more, as a web developer from... wait for it... Kansas. Honestly, I don't really understand how that article got published. Do coat makers only live in cold climates? Can you REALLY only publish a newspaper in New York? Man I hope not... Great article Fred! I couldn’t agree more, as a web developer from… wait for it… Kansas. Honestly, I don’t really understand how that article got published. Do coat makers only live in cold climates? Can you REALLY only publish a newspaper in New York? Man I hope not…

]]> By: Mind Booster Noori http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5505 Mind Booster Noori Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:09:56 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5505 Folletto: When you say «In “the valley”, one shouldn’t have a great idea to be funded», you're actualy pointing out one of the benneficts of NOT being in the Valley, 'cause if your idea isn't great you should have it fail flawlessly and learn with your mistakes, move on, and bet on a great idea. When the Valley funds a not-so-great idea they're just wasting a couple of years of your time, and then you'll have to try selling your startup on ebay. Great, huh? Folletto: When you say «In “the valley”, one shouldn’t have a great idea to be funded», you’re actualy pointing out one of the benneficts of NOT being in the Valley, ’cause if your idea isn’t great you should have it fail flawlessly and learn with your mistakes, move on, and bet on a great idea. When the Valley funds a not-so-great idea they’re just wasting a couple of years of your time, and then you’ll have to try selling your startup on ebay. Great, huh?

]]> By: Folletto Malefico http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5487 Folletto Malefico Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:14:59 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5487 I agree with both, this means that I don't agree your "strong disagree". Of course, a good idea is a good idea everywhere. Still, it's a matter of where the threshold is. In "the valley", one shouldn't have a great idea to be funded. Anywhere else, it's hard. And for "anywhere else" I'm talking not only about USA. Here in Italy is HARD to get any kind of funding and IF you could get it, the funder WANTS to change the project as its will. You notice clearly that this isn't very good. About ideas? Sure. They are already there. I know many people with good ideas that, sometimes, they find done by someone else in the USA, months after. Doh. You'll see why many talents are leaving Italy. :| I agree with both, this means that I don’t agree your “strong disagree”.

Of course, a good idea is a good idea everywhere. Still, it’s a matter of where the threshold is. In “the valley”, one shouldn’t have a great idea to be funded. Anywhere else, it’s hard.

And for “anywhere else” I’m talking not only about USA. Here in Italy is HARD to get any kind of funding and IF you could get it, the funder WANTS to change the project as its will. You notice clearly that this isn’t very good.

About ideas? Sure. They are already there. I know many people with good ideas that, sometimes, they find done by someone else in the USA, months after. Doh. You’ll see why many talents are leaving Italy. :|

]]> By: Josh http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5482 Josh Mon, 23 Oct 2006 06:56:49 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5482 The Times seems to be forgetting about these tools we have at our disposal nowadays called the Internet, and telephones, and fax machines, and even the postal mail. For anyone to suggest that you must be in a certain area to start an Internet company is silly. That sentiment flies in the face of the very spirit of the Internet--which in a lot of ways is the poster child of globalization (the good kind). In fact, not only do you not have to be in the valley, but your employees don't even have to be in the same place at the same time. The Times seems to be forgetting about these tools we have at our disposal nowadays called the Internet, and telephones, and fax machines, and even the postal mail. For anyone to suggest that you must be in a certain area to start an Internet company is silly. That sentiment flies in the face of the very spirit of the Internet–which in a lot of ways is the poster child of globalization (the good kind).

In fact, not only do you not have to be in the valley, but your employees don’t even have to be in the same place at the same time.

]]> By: You might not need to be in the Valley, but it helps at acidlabs http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/comment-page-1/#comment-5475 You might not need to be in the Valley, but it helps at acidlabs Mon, 23 Oct 2006 04:07:43 +0000 http://blog.webreakstuff.com/2006/10/no-need-for-the-valley/#comment-5475 [...] Fred over at WebBreakStuff has written an insightful post, expressing his opinion that in the new web worker world, you and your company don’t need to be resident in Silicon Valley.  While strictly, this may be true, I’ve got to say I don’t fully agree.  Here’s my take… [...] [...] Fred over at WebBreakStuff has written an insightful post, expressing his opinion that in the new web worker world, you and your company don’t need to be resident in Silicon Valley.  While strictly, this may be true, I’ve got to say I don’t fully agree.  Here’s my take… [...]

]]>