Topic: Menlo Park

Hiring Executives: If You've Never Done the Job, How Do You Hire Somebody Good?

The biggest difference between being a great functional manager and being a great general manager is that you must hire and manage people who are far more competent at their jobs than you would be at their jobs. So, with no experience, how do you hire someone good?READ»

In Defense of Standards, Ethics, and Honest Financial Reporting at Hewlett-Packard

Recently, my old company Hewlett-Packard has been in the news--and not in a good way. I've been watching the coverage from the sidelines up to this point, but felt increasingly compelled to join the conversation and share my point of view. So here goes.READ»

The Right Way to Lay People Off

"I'm tryin' to right my wrongs, But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song" --Kanye West Shortly after we sold Opsware to Hewlett-Packard, I had a conversation with the legendary venture capitalist Doug Leone of ...READ»

Today's Google Doodle Is a Ballsy Move Into Web Coding Future

Google's doodle today is a rare thing--one of their interactive efforts. It's a load of balls. Bouncing, colored balls that make up the famous Google logo. Everyone's pondering why. We think we know. READ»

The Right Kind of Ambition

As an employee, why would I want to work long hours to advance the career of my manager? If the manager cares about his career more than the company, then that's what I'd be doing. Nothing motivates a great employee more than a mission that's so important that it supersedes everyone's personal ambition.READ»

How to Minimize Politics in Your Company

In all my years in business, I have yet to hear someone say: "I love corporate politics." On the other hand, I meet plenty of people who complain bitterly about corporate politics--sometimes even in the companies they run. So, if nobody loves politics, why all the politics?READ»

In the Age of Seamless Product Presentation, Facebook Keeps It Lo-Fi

Yesterday, Mark Zuckerberg launched Places, Facebook's location-based Service. And what a presentation it was. Unashamedly amateur, (although credit should also be given to VentureBeat for its astonishingly indie auteur camerawork) if ...READ»

Taking the Mystery Out of Scaling a Company

People in startup land often talk about the magic of how few people built Google or Facebook, but today's Google employs 20,000 people and today's Facebook employs 1,500 people. So, if you want to do something that matters, then you are going to have to learn the black art of scaling a human organization.READ»

It Doesn't Matter If a Cat Is Black or White, so Long as It Catches Mice.

The women in Shanghai are stunningly gorgeous these days. Without exaggeration, when I walk down busy Nanjing Lu, every second woman I see is dressed in designer labels, make-up tastefully applied, coiffure styled according to the ...READ»

The March Group

The March Group LLC, The March Group American Funds, the largest manager of stock mutual funds, sold most of its holdings in PetroChina Co. after pressure from rights groups over the oil-and-gas company’s investments in Sudan. READ»

Venture Capital: Don't Call It a Comeback

Venture funds may be having trouble raising new funding, but they are still investing what money they have. The third quarter of 2009 saw venture capital activity hit $6.1B, a healthy 14% increase in venture capital activity over Q2 ...READ»

• 2009 Q3 Venture Capital Activity Report

Must Know Tips for Buying Health Insurance in Utah

Buying health insurance in Utah may not top your list of fun things to do, but that doesn't mean it's unimportant. After all, there are few things in life more valuable than good health.READ»

Inside Tesla's First East Coast Store

California-based Tesla Motors opened its third retail store today in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, kicking off a rapid retail expansion plan that should land stores in eight major U.S. cities before the end of 2009. Unlike the ...READ»

Is Google Terminator's SkyNet?

Is Google SkyNet? In a word: Yes. In fact, in some ways, it's even smarter. SkyNet didn't assume worldwide domination until 2029, while Google has already effectively monopolized search and it's only 2009. Sure, one uses a giant Web ...READ»

• The Terminator Economy

How to Buy Individual Health Insurance in Utah

Before you start your search, brace yourself. The private health-insurance market isn't pretty, but when navigated properly can save you money in the long run! READ»

Why Does Tesla Get All the Love? It's Selling California, Not Cars

Yesterday, Tesla Motors fulfilled its stereotype as a Silicon Valley startup by botching the unveiling of its second major product launch, the four-door Model S sedan. The feverish response to the news--from Digg co-founder Kevin ...READ»

TechShop: a place to learn, network and invent

Last month I visited TechShop in Portland, OR. For those not familiar with TechShop, imagine a machine shop with a start-up incubator culture operating under a fitness club membership structure. If you’re a recently laid-off ...READ»

If Sustainability is the New Religion, Maybe it Belongs in Church

Design partners John Nottingham and John Spirk thought so.  Saving a beautiful old church and rehabbing it as a den of creativity, Nottingham and Spirk catalyzed community revitalization in a moribund neighborhood of Cleveland, ...READ»

Most Influential Women in Web 2.0

We've heard the stats before -- only a quarter of those involved in computer and mathematical occupations are women. And yet, in the ever-evolving world of Web 2.0, women have often been pioneers, redefining the way we interact online. We tracked down the most influential of these. Our list wasn't chosen by star power, nor by career altitude. Rather, we feature the biggest innovators.READ»

• The Most Influential Women in Web 2.0
• Marissa Mayer: The 2008 Fast 50
• Gina Bianchini: Ning's Infinite Ambition

The New Culture of Gaming

We've come a long way since the Persians first played checkers, reportedly the world's oldest game, some 5,000 years ago. The first major shift in gaming came with the introduction of electronics, which is credited to William ...READ»

The King of Green Investing

Vinod Khosla is pouring his own millions into science experiments to counter global warming -- and to prove he's the smartest guy in the Valley. READ»

• Khosla's Green Ventures
• Silicon Valley's Green Angel Investors
• The Music Industry Goes Green

RZA, Chess Masters and MMA Fighters Gather to Stop Violence

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Teams with MMA Fighters Jake Sheilds and Ralek Gracie, RZA, Rakaa, IM Josh Waitzkin, for the “Mind Over Matter” Chess & Grappling Exhibition HHCF brings together top entertainers and fighters to ...READ»

Get Smart Part Three: Curriculum Report

As the Internet changes the rules of the game, MBA curricula are evolving to keep up.READ»

Silicon Valley's Worst-Kept Secret

An independent documentary exposes the new economy's dirtiest little secrets: the displacement of minority communities and the mistreatment of temporary employees working to build a valley they cannot afford.READ»

Tracey Pettengill

"I constantly live with butterflies in my stomach. It's such an exciting and stressful time that I wake up with that feeling and reach for some Pepto-Bismol."READ»