tinc silicon valley culture. what you’re here to learn 2 the business culture in silicon valley...
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TINCSilicon Valley Culture
What You’re Here To Learn
2
The business culture in Silicon Valley
Do’s and Don’ts about doing business
Things to know about presenting to your audience
How to prepare for meetings and what to expect
Why understanding culture is so important to your business
Why This Is Important
3
Your company must be able to function in a global environment
Every business is dependent upon relationships with someone
Effectively communicating within a culture enables you to get funding
Understanding cultural differences helps you to acquire customers
US Culture
US culture emphasizes individual and personal achievementPresent your company so that your prospective client or
partner can clearly understand how your value proposition benefits
Americans prefer a direct style of communication.Be direct, concise and respectful in all communications.
Americans value politeness and appreciate being appreciated.Be polite (please). Always express your appreciation for
any time or effort made on your behalf.
SOURCE: Doing Business in the USA: US Social and Business Culture, Communicaid Group Ltd, 2009
Prepare for meetings
Set an agenda and objectives for a meetingKnow who you are meeting withIf you are presenting, prepare a presentation your
audience wants to hearKeep your number of people down in meetings
Introduce yourself at the start of a meeting
• Make an effort to personally greet and exchange business cards with every person in the room
• If you have done so earlier, move to the agenda
Avoid sensitive topics • Do not ask about or discuss politics, age, religion or race
Do not interrupt others while they are talking
• This is considered rude and unprofessional• If you do interrupt someone in advertently, apologize and let them
continue
Be sensitive to the people around you
• Do not speak Norwegian to your colleagues while in a meeting with non-Norwegian speakers
• If someone requires a translator to understand something, simply call attention to the fact that the person requires a translation
Meeting Etiquette
I like what you have to
say!
Presentation Etiquette
Get your audience talking and establish a dialogue!
Know your audience Know how your product provides value to your audience Know your time limit Sell your product and vision BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY…..DON’T READ YOUR
SLIDES
BUSINESS BUSINESS CASUAL
Dress to Impress
Generally speaking you should dress one level above the company norm
When in doubt always dress more formally than less Regardless of dress code always ensure your clothes are
clean, pressed and do not show signs of wear.
Be punctual & respect deadlines In the US, “time is money”.
Respect office hierarchies Know who you are talking to and where they fit in the chain
of command. These often vary by organization Do not underestimate the power and importance of
networking Take any and all opportunities to introduce yourself and your
product offering
Dos and Don’t of Doing Business
The Silicon Valley Company
Success has a formula Most companies in Silicon Valley operate by
Forming an experienced team Formulating an idea for a product Validating the idea Raising capital Setting aggressive milestones (Its better to fail fast than slow) Course correcting as needed Look for the “exit”
Shut DownGrow Revenue
Take an Exit
The Silicon Valley Company
Ignite and Burn Fast Most start-ups set aggressive schedules and
work extremely fast Most experienced entrepreneurs will tell you
“Its better to fail fast than slowly”
Articulate a Plan Successful startups can clearly articulate
Value Proposition What problem they are solving Who else is trying to solve the problem
All of the key executives should be able to openly discuss this
The Silicon Valley Company
Coaching Silicon Valley is a culture of coaching
Team Building Teams drive success in the valley Good teams get good funding Team members are used to wear multiple hats
Risk Taking Not afraid of making mistakes but learning from them Risk in a performance organization is generally followed by
reward
San Francisco & Silicon Valley Be aware of what you say. The Bay Area is small and news
travels fast and everything is on record. Sarcasm does not work in California. Leave it at home when you
walk out the door. Be confident in demonstrating what your product or technology
is able to offer. Don’t criticize speakers and meetings. Be strategic in how you approach prospective clients or
partners. Many have extensive experience in the industry and can offer you considerable insight.
Regional Business Cultures
Although country wide generalizations are helpful in
understanding key aspects of US business culture it is important to recognize that cultural variations do exist from state to state and
region to region.
The US by States & Regions
Map Source: http://www.united-states-map.com/usa-conic-1319-920.gif
PACIFIC NORTHWE
ST
WEST COAST
ROCKY MOUNTAI
NS
SOUTHWEST
MID-WEST
OK & TX
SOUTH
NORTH EAST &
EAST COAST
LA
US Stereotypes Map: http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/files/2011/04/stereotype-map.jpg
The US by States & Stereotypes