Hmmm… when I started this blog I had so much to write about (and I still have :-P), but I couldn’t imagine that times would come when I simply wouldn’t have time to write… Last week was one of those times.
So, back in business. Once again in Silicon Valley, once again in meetings one after the other. Last week I went to Silicon Valley, Las Vegas, San Diego. Next week I am going to Los Angeles and Seattle. It is hard and relatively expensive, but it is extremely efficient: this is where things happen. To imagine that you can make a difference in the software / internet industry without making regular visits here is nonsense.
And I say again what I suggested to everyone: the almost 4000 USD spent on a trip here are worth it.
Otherwise – today is Halloween, I cannot wait to see what happens tonight. It’s the first time I spend it here.
And I discovered a new hotel, recommended by Daniel that I also recommend to you: Dinah’s . It is super OK, price and service-wise (of course that, these days, if you go directly to reception you will get a big discount compared to a reservation made on expedia).
If you ask me about business, I went to meetings with VCs (Venture Capital), existing and potential clients, big companies that set trends, friends in the area, people I haven’t seen for a long time. All in all, things seem to slowly fall into place: company transactions have started to happen again (for 12 months, there was almost no acquisition, and now things started to happen), companies started hiring again (slowly, of course…). If everything was frozen until now, in the sense that no one was doing anything – let’s see what happens – now they have already gotten used to the idea and everyone started working with the thought that “yes, there is a crisis, we have to do this and this” (anyway, each with his own tactics). People are already working at full speed for exiting this stagnant phase. So things are good.
(English version by Teodora Popescu)
Original Romanian version
Salutari din State
Hmmm…. cand am inceput blogul aveam atatea de scris (si inca mai am :-P), dar nu mi-am imaginat ca vin momente cand pur si simplu nu ai timp sa scrii… Saptamana trecuta a fost unul din ele.
Deci, din nou in business. Din nou in Sillicon Valley, din nou meetinguri unul dupa altul. Am fost saptamana trecuta in Sillicon Valley, Las Vegas, San Diego. Saptamana viitoare in Los Angeles si Seattle. Greu si relativ costisitor, dar extrem de eficient: aici este unde se intampla lucrurile. A-ti imagina ca poti face diferenta in industria software / internet fara sa vii regulat in zona este o ineptie.
Si spun din nou ce am sugerat tuturor: cei aproximativ 4000 USD cheltuiti pentru un drum aici merita.
Altfel – astazi e Halloween, abia astept sa vad ce se intampla diseara. E prima data cand o petrec aici.
Si un hotel nou gasit, recomandat de Daniel, pe care vi-l sugerez: Dinah’s . E superOK si ca servicii si ca pret (bine’nteles ca in vremurile astea daca te prezinti direct la receptie primesti un discount sensibil fata de o rezervare pe expedia).
Daca ma intrebati de business, m-am intalnit cu VCuri (Venture Capital), clienti existenti si potentiali, companii mari care seteaza trenduri, prieteni din zona pe care nu i-am vazut de mult. Una peste alta pare ca lucrurile se repara incet incet: au reinceput tranzactiile de firme (12 luni nu a fost aproape nici o achizitie, acum au inceput sa se intample), au reinceput angajari (incet, of course…). Daca pana acum totul era inghetat, in sensul ca nu facea nimeni nimic – sa vedem ce se intampla – acum deja s-au obisnuit cu ideea si au inceput toti sa lucreze in ideea ca „da, e criza, avem de facut asta si asta” (ma rog, fiecare cu tactica lui). Deja se lucreaza la viteza maxima pentru iesirea din staza. Deci e de bine.
Chronicul
November 1st, 2009 at 8:58 am
What did u do in Vegas…conferinte sau un pic de gambling fun ?:D…
Radu
November 1st, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Hehe, nici una nici alta: a fost ziua unui prieten, si-a serbat-o acolo. Am profitat ca sa mai intalnesc cunostinte vechi din business.
Nu-mi place gamblingul – zona de antreprenoriat mi se pare suficient de riscanta in sine pentru necesarul meu de adrenalina 🙂
Ncu
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Nu ramai si pentru BOS 2009?
Radu
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:29 pm
BOS 2009? nu stiu ce e, am ratat. un link ceva pls? thx.
Ncu
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:06 am
Business of Software Conference in SF, incepe luni: http://www.businessofsoftware.org/ .
Bogdan Ionita
November 4th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Conferinta de anul trecut a fost de-a dreptul spumoasa 🙂 E exact ce spuneam in alt comentariu despre conferintele “de la noi” vs “de la ei”. Macar pentru Seth Godin si merita. Dar nu este genul de conferinta la care sa te duci neaparat pentru contacte de afaceri, ci mai degraba pentru show in sine.
Sunt postate pe net cateva speech-uri de anul trecut: http://www.businessofsoftware.org/prevyear.aspx
Radu
November 4th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Da, pana la urma mai stau o saptamana aici, asa ca o sa fiu la BoS.
Ncu
November 6th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Super, eu vin special pt BoS! Sper sa imi reincarc bateriile pentru inca un an doi!
Sunt curios daca mai sunt si alti romani care se duc!
@Bogdan, Seth Godin nu mai e anul asta,insa prezentarea lui de anu trecut e online, foarte misto!
Bogdan Ionita
November 7th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Stiu ca nu mai e anul asta (sincer invitatii mi se par un pic mai slabuti ca anul trecut), eu ziceam doar ca showul de anul trecut a meritat fie si doar pt Seth Godin. Am fost anul trecut, anul asta mi-e imposibil sa plec din motive de bebe :)))
Bogdan Ionita
November 4th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Am gasit cuvantul cheie :))) “Inspirational”: asta lipseste din majoritatea conferintelor de la noi.
@Radu: iti doresc sa te intorci cat mai incarcat de energie de acolo.