Want to build a startup in Silicon Valley? Don’t do what I did (the first time)

There's no place to build a startup like Silicon Valley. No question. But it has it's upsides and downsides. And it's damn hard. A lot of people come here with a head full of false ideas. I was one of them. I've often told the story of how I sold everything I had back in Europe and bought a one-way ticket to San Francisco to "make it in the Valley". Well, I spent five years working myself into the ground going bankrupt. Don't do what I did. It makes for a good story, but I could have saved years if I'd done it differently. If I'd do it all over again, this is how I'd do it now. Go get'em! Steli PS: Even if you don't plan to start your own company in Silicon Valley—there's a lesson in this that's relevant for anyone who wants to move into a new field, a new region. So check out my latest blog post (or watch the video at the bottom of the post). Close.io PO Box 7775 #69574 San Francisco, CA 94120-7775 You may manage your email preferences anytime.