Ask HN: East Coast Vs West Coast: Risk Adversion

3 points by jpd750 12 years ago | 3 comments

I've been meaning to ask this on here and wondered what your thoughts were on this.

I live (currently) on the east coast, but visited the west coast (SF to get to the point).

After 25 years of living on the east coast, I've started to see a trend of folks here regarding joining/starting a startup venture.

I talk to countless individuals (tech and non-tech) would refuse to leave a cushy 9-5 job to start something awesome.

I recently spoke to an advisor of my startup who mentioned individuals living on east coast (generally speaking) are very risk adverse as compared to SF Bay area (and surrounding areas).

Is this a location thing? e.g. East coast being disproportionally risk adverse as compared to its west coast counterparts? Or have I just met overly risk adverse east coasters?

eshvk 12 years ago |

1. Joining a startup is different from starting a startup. When you join a startup, irrespective of what cat video app your startup is working, you are still an employee. You may not be working 9-5. You may be working more like 11-11 but you are still nevertheless an employee.

2. I would say that there are more people starting startups in the West Coast because there is a culture of starting companies in the West coast and people think it better to be closer to VCs. It is meaningless to bring this into a conversation of risk because there are loads of people working on risky shit everywhere. Working in a big company at a senior level is playing high stakes poker every day. It is not the same as a "cushy 9-5 job".

Source: I lived in SF, worked for startups for two years. Currently work in NYC.

couchand 12 years ago |

I believe the term you're looking for is "risk averse".

coralreef 12 years ago |

Everywhere outside of the valley is less tolerant of risk, which is what sort of makes the valley special.