San Francisco: Less About Rice, More About Cooking

I parachuted into San Francisco yesterday morning to start a new gig with Dealmaker Media (hosts of the Under the Radar conference).

I rolled outta bed at 4am to catch a 6:30am flight (thanks for the ride, Pat!) and couldn’t help but to be giddy at the thought of starting something new in a city where some of the smartest, most eager people in the world hang out.

San Fran is a magnet for people who want to change the world. Whether you’re a hipster, hippie or hot shot entrepreneur, people here seem to hold on to the belief that anyone can do anything. It’s inspiring.

Less than 48 hours after I arrived, I was at a party with some of the biggest players in the Valley.

Egos and success stories aside, everyone was more interested in telling me who I just had to meet or where just have to eat than about the latest acquisition (Powerset to Microsoft for $100M today, btw).

I freaking love this place. As Paul Graham says in his Cities and Ambition essay, “great cities attract ambitious people. You can sense it when you walk around one. In a hundred subtle ways, the city sends you a message: you could do more; you should try harder.”

What message does San Francisco send specifically? Paul says it’s “you should be more powerful.”

I agree, but I don’t like the choice of the word, “powerful.” I think he means powerful NOT in a grow-a-horrible-mustache-and-become-a-dictator way, but a how-can-you-change-the-world-for the-better way. And yes, maybe make $100 million while doing it.