Comments on: Why does physical proximity matter?

By: Jeff Stewart

Jeff Stewart — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:03:48 +0000

Great post ..Physical proximity does matter – but it’s most important in sales. That why I would take NYC over the Valley http://www.applieddisruption.com/2006/10/the_selling_fie.html

By: Don Dodge

Don Dodge — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 02:33:27 +0000

Tech startups can be done anywhere, it is just that mofre of them are done in Silicon Valley than anywhere else. Like most things in life it is all about the poeple. Successful people attract other successful people who want to work with, or compete against the best.

If you think of insurance it is Hartford. If you think of automobiles it is Detroit. Movies = Hollywood, Country music = Nashville.

I wrote a blog today about why this happens. http://dondodge.typepad.com/the_next_big_thing/2006/10/why_are_more_st.html

Don Dodge

By: Mathew Ingram

Mathew Ingram — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 21:32:15 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Rex. I think it’s one of those things that definitely exists, but that we wish wasn’t the case. It would be nice to think that companies could succeed anywhere — and I think that’s true depending on the idea — but there’s still that inexorable pull from Silly-con Valley.

The downside of that, as someone has pointed out, is that it kind of becomes an echo chamber where people suffer from group-think — which could be why the best ideas sometimes come from Sweden or somewhere else far away.

By: Rex Hammock

Rex Hammock — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 21:17:26 +0000

Matt, great points. I agree with you that meeting people in person — and spending time with them is important. I agree, also, that an influx of funding may cause the need to move. However, the article seemed to point towards the need to be in the Silicon Valley to be funded at all. I think a good Canadian argument against such a theory is Flickr — however, it was sold to a Silicon Valley firm. I travel to New York and San Francisco often and, thus, I don’t feel so remote being stationed out here in the outpost of Nashville. Also, I actually do agree — and believe the reality or perception or whatever it is that the tech world has a nexxus in the Silicon Valley. I guess I’m merely lamenting the irnoic myopia that exists with the notion that great ideas must originate there. I’m happy anyone gets funding for good ideas — no matter where they are.

By: Webomatica

Webomatica — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

of the grain the tribbles ate (quadrotriticale). You don’t have to go through an extra step of translation or a learning curve when explaining what you do and why it matters to potential employees. Anyhow, despite these reasons, I do generally agree with the complaint that it’s a bit hypocritical that even though all this Web 2.0 stuff is partly about being social online, the people pulling the strings still swear by face to face meetings and local proximity. Maybe there is a third way, as