An inside look at Silicon Valley’s uniquely innovative culture, and how it could hold the key to revitalizing global prosperity
After decades of steady progress the world’s economy is on shaky ground. In the face of a global recession companies and investors are less willing to take risks, and our education system is more focused on rote learning and standardized testing than innovative thinking. But one small corner of America, already responsible for some of the greatest innovations of the 21st century, is still riding high in these dark days: Silicon Valley.
In Secrets of Silicon Valley, insider Deborah Perry Piscione reveals the secret sauce behind this unique community’s startling success. She goes back to the Valley’s auspicious beginnings to trace the birth of today’s carefully balanced ecosystem, where meritocracy is king, collaboration and information sharing is embraced, and ideas are the primary currency. She explores Silicon Valley’s exceptionally risk-tolerant culture and the special role of the area’s immigrant population, showing how these factors breed progress irrespective of global economic indicators. Drawing on interviews with angel investors, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, academics and thought leaders in science and design, Perry Piscione shows how Silicon Valley’s innovative culture can inform other communities, and inspire change in the entrenched industries that are failing to meet today’s global challenges.
Deborah Perry Piscione is an east coaster who moved to Silicon Valley and built out three companies in six years, BettyConfidential, a leader in the content and ecommerce space, Alley to the Valley, an organization that networks the world’s most influential women for dealmaking, and Chump Genius, an educational gaming company for kids. A former congressional and White House staffer, she has appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, Fox News, PBS, and NPR programs, as well as in print publications including The New York Times and Forbes. Perry Piscione is a bestselling author, and has won numerous awards, including the Silicon Valley Women Business Owner of the Year (2009), a Gracie Allen award, and a distinguished award from The White House Project. She lives in Los Altos Hills, California with her husband and three children.
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