Silicon Valley Nordic Beat: Weekly Buzz & Insights
Editors Column:
Break Out of the Nordic Bubble: Embrace the Crazy, Diverse Energy of Silicon Valley!
Don’t get stuck in the Nordic bubble. Yes, this may seem like contradictory advice coming from Silicon Valley Nordic Beat, which is dedicated to covering Nordic interests in the region. But that’s only a starting point and a place to ground yourself. It’s not where you should spend most of your time. Silicon Valley is a colorful, multicultural, and multinational innovation landscape, and out there is where you should be.
This week, I attended a tech event for female entrepreneurs in San Francisco. Not a single Nordic person in sight. I wasn’t there to write, but simply to soak up the atmosphere in the Silicon Valley I’ve come to love – and I wasn’t disappointed. The energy was palpable. Some ideas were new, others were familiar but framed in a fresh, innovative way. It’s this blend of familiarity and bold creativity that makes Silicon Valley so unique.
Here are some key takeaways from my seven years in Silicon Valley, and this energizing event.
Let your energy shine. Events and conversations that are buzzing with energy and passion are part of Silicon Valley. I’ve met several successful people from the Nordics who have told me they feel more at home in Silicon Valley – often because of their natural energy. If you’re not naturally high-energy, now’s the time to push yourself.
Show Your ‘Crazy’ Side Investors in Silicon Valley want to see some craziness. It doesn't scare them away, but it might make them think, “What if she’s the one who’s going to build the next Meta or OpenAI?” Your wild ideas and daring vision might be your strongest asset here.
You Don’t Need to Be Liked by Everyone Investors don’t expect you to please them. In fact, they want you to challenge them, to disagree, and to show them why you know better. This confidence is key.
Diversity is a Strength In Silicon Valley, people actively seek out friends and collaborators who are different from them. This place thrives on the collision of diverse ideas, cultures, and perspectives. It’s not just a bonus – it’s the engine of innovation here.
Fake It Till You Make It Confidence is everything here. You don’t need to have all the answers, but you do need to act like you’re well on your way to finding them. This is less about pretending and more about embodying the bold confidence that you will get there.
Never Give Up Part of your value as an entrepreneur here is your persistence. You need at least 100 meetings with potential investors and partners before you really start gaining momentum. Stay in the game, no matter how tough it gets.
Learn Until You Earn It While “fake it till you make it” helps build confidence, don’t forget that the real secret to success is learning. Keep learning until you’ve earned every bit of that success.
Silicon Valley is a place where dreams become reality, but it requires you to step outside your comfort zone. The Nordic network is your home base, but Silicon Valley is your playground. The real magic happens when you dive into this melting pot of nationalities, ideas, and cultures.
Have an amazing and crazy weekend!
Margaretha Levander
