Are Seattle Entrepreneurs Wimps?

I have not been keeping up with my blog posts.  I started a new job a couple of months ago and that has eaten up all of my spare hours when I am not maximizing my time with my family.  I've spent my career jumping between startups and big companies.  I seem to alternate between these experiences.  In fact, I am still involved in a couple of ventures in-town.  Stepping out of the startup world and back to a big company has given me some interesting perspectives.  I'll share those over the following months.    

I enjoy talking to my readers of the Startup Whisperer and local entrepreneurs in town.  But, I was surprised as to the amount of inbox volume that I received as soon as I left Mpire to go back into the games business.  I couldn't help but wonder why the sudden flood of emails that ranged from questions concerning financing to biz dev advice. I pondered this trend for awhile and decided that since I wasn't in the startup flock that I was perceived as somewhat of a ronin.  A samurai with no master. Or maybe I am completely arrogant and people are just making me feel better for moving into a larger company. Either way, the influx of questions from the startup community got me wondering whether Seattle entrepreneurs are wimps.  Not physically but the kinda of wimp that lacks gumption.  Seattle entrepreneurs may lack the fortitude and unbridled passion that is commonly seen in Silicon Valley.

I'll defend Seattle to anyone but there is an intensity in Silicon Valley that you don't get anywhere else. You wouldn't find a CEO of a Silicon Valley company asking a bunch of people for advice.  On the other hand, if they do, it must be subtle and done over networking events.  I don't mean to insult my friends and fellow startup brethren but the balls-to-the-wall attitude that you get in the Valley doesn't seem to be here. I remember the sparing last year between Redfin's Glenn Kelman and TechCrunch's Michael Arrington about the merits of Seattle versus Silicon Valley. I read the posts with great interest.  I am a fourth generation Washingtonian and I am proud of it.  Yet, I wonder if the Seattle entrepreneurs should read their history books about the first pioneers that settled in this state.

Stop being wimpy.  Act like the pioneer that this region is known for.

Comments

[John S]

since when is listening and asking for advice a bad thing? last time I checked, hubris was more deadly than inquisitiveness.

[Victor]

Just take a look at the local sports team and it will tell you, yes, we are wimps. There is no killer instinct here, the town is full of "nice" people. The only killers are the serial kind.