[Chapter 785: The People of Silicon Valley]
When it came to innovation, Silicon Valley in America certainly had its highlights back in the early 1990s.
The IT industry was relatively new; the miracles birthed in this area were far too numerous to count.
Apple, Microsoft, Compaq, Dell, Cisco. Just think about it, in just a few years, so many billionaires emerged.
Of course, if you included the already colossal White Systems, that would truly be overstating things.
The journey from having nothing to reaching the pinnacle of success is undeniably an inspiring story in any country.
After the media amplified these tales, more and more people started to reassess their own paths in life. The power of role models became immense; if others could succeed, why couldn't they? In just a few short years, San Francisco not only recovered its vitality from that major earthquake, but it also seemed poised to go head-to-head with Los Angeles.
But was it really that easy?
Ha! Not likely.
Much like Los Angeles, everyone fancied themselves a screenwriter. In San Francisco, there were plenty of folks trying to con investors with a pile of nonsense.
...
"Sir, should we reject this investment?"
"Why? Both of these guys are seasoned professionals."
Filson grimaced; they were planning to develop a search engine. Didn't that clash with your own "So Easy" venture? William White surely knew how much he valued this company.
"Filson, you are overthinking it. We can't eliminate all our competitors; there can't be only one browser or one search engine on the market. Both David Filo and Jerry Yang are talented. I heard Sequoia Capital was talking to them too. We don't need to aim for a majority stake; let's secure the angel round quickly. By the way, for future investments, don't consider competitive factors. If there's a conflict with our main business, just use the family fund to invest."
"Okay, I got it, sir. These guys indeed have some skills."
William White couldn't help but scoff; "some skills" was an understatement. But I already built a search engine; would you be able to succeed as well?
The richest man obviously thought too much. Their success surely stemmed from their own unique strategies. Rather than calling Yahoo a search engine, it was more fitting to think of it as a portal site.
That NBC Online nonsense had its entertainment value pretty low. As more ordinary users flooded to the internet, such serious sites weren't exactly in vogue.
What? You wanted something livelier?
Ahem, that idea just wouldn't work. You can't expect something to be both fun and engaging; it was a ridiculous notion.
One can't be too greedy. Since NBC Online was the name, the material had to be serious; otherwise, it would end up as a joke.
As for So Easy, William White hoped it would replace Google's prominence. While it couldn't prevent Google's emergence, it certainly needed to provide stiff competition.
...
"Jerry, are you sure? The White Foundation is investing in us? I thought you just used that to keep Sequoia at bay."
"David, you're being narrow-minded. No wonder you were so stingy back then, giving me a 'B.' You know, as a straight-A student, I've never settled for a 'B.'"
David Filo was left speechless. Jerry Yang was alright in most areas; it was just this petty side of him. His pride bothered these fellows, intentionally trying to knock him down a peg.
"Jerry, stop with the useless talk. Are White's Foundation's terms better than Sequoia's?"
"Of course. Sequoia Capital? Please, if given the choice, I'd never want to deal with them again. Though William White isn't all great, he seldom plays hardball."
"Are you referring to Cisco?"
"Do I even need to say? They wouldn't interfere with the company's operations. Proposing reasonable financial management is entirely fair."
"Ha! So, does that mean we can leave this mess behind us? Damn it guys, you guys didn't even clean up the pizza from last month! Goodness, what kind of people am I working with?"
"Forget about all that, David. Today, let's find a place to relax. These guys have been under way too much pressure; they need some excitement."
"Fine, fine, as you wish. I just need to make a call first."
The sharply dressed guys showing up at nightclubs were usually those investors. As for the disheveled, greasy older gentlemen, while they might be ignored elsewhere, not in Silicon Valley.
These guys could be much more generous when celebrating their victories compared to those bankers. Of course, when they went wild, it was quite a spectacle.
If you thought the guy in thick glasses would be reserved, you were sorely mistaken.
...
While they reveled and celebrated their wins, Don Valentin was having a rough time. It was his third failure this month; ever since he angered William White, surviving in Silicon Valley had been tough for him.
To begin with, William White wasn't as cutthroat as he was. Even that malicious acquisition of Oracle hadn't driven them to obliteration. Larry Ellison had it easier compared to when he was running the show.
Sequoia was taking things too far, not only sending the founder packing but also planning to get rid of other investors.
Damn it, this just happened to be William White. If it were someone else, he could not have faced such a failure.
Don't think reputation doesn't matter; when there's no competition, sure, you can be ruthless. But with other choices available, those IT guys weren't fools.
You need to understand if they were just tech geeks, they wouldn't be dreaming of starting companies. Sequoia Capital was overstepping, and even if others had to negotiate, they'd surely add a pile of conditions.
If absolutely necessary, they could bring their failed intent to White's Foundation.
You had to admit that while the old man's reputation was shaky, his vision was exceptional. Plus, William White had specifically instructed that even if it didn't make money, it should stir up trouble for his investments.
Don Valentin now genuinely regretted it. Damn, why was he even getting involved in the elephant's fight? At this point, anything he said was pointless.
...
"Tanner, is that old man still hovering around Silicon Valley?"
"Ha ha, yes, master. He's still putting in a lot of effort. However, after our intentional publicity, his reputation isn't too good."
"Good, don't let up on this line. The old man isn't simple. Hmph, daring to snatch food from our mouths."
"Don't worry, master, I'll keep an eye on him. But if he doesn't yield any results soon, he will have to back down. Being our free trailblazer is certainly no picnic."
"By the way, what are those CIA guys busy with now?"
"They're still up to no good in Africa and don't seem to have any intention of pulling out."
William White couldn't help but chuckle; these bastards had wreaked havoc in Africa and still wouldn't call it quits. Was that population reduction plan actually real?
Resources on this planet were scarce; it was unrealistic to think everyone could live the American dream.
Even looking at other ethnicities, the U.S. was also limiting the number of wealthy individuals.
In America, if you planned to rise to prominence, the first thing you needed was a solid education. That was the foundation of everything.
What? Win the lottery?
Sorry, according to tracked statistics, those who struck it big would usually return to square one after ten years. Don't even bring up being the same as before; some folks were worse off than before they won.
If you wanted a solid education, you had to attend college. Ahem, that's what America preached; once you turn eighteen, you should learn to be independent. That's what a complete life meant.
*****
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