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Sorry, but that's just not true. Silicon Valley is filled with stories of successful stalkings. For example, in 2007, I loitered outside Facebook HQ on univer

Sorry, but that's just not true. Silicon Valley is filled with stories of successful stalkings. For example, in 2007, I loitered outside Facebook HQ on university ave until I had a chance encounter with someone who also attended my alma mater (!) and was starting his first day of work, so he took me inside with him[1]. I tried to meet with Zuck but they sicced Dave Morin on me. I ended up getting incredible access to the FB engineering team and my app was ultimately acquired, and I partially attribute that to unfair advantage. [1] I think he's now successfully retired.

nl 8y ago
I think you need to pick your targets. 2007 FB isn’t the same as 2018 Google. Also it seems like you might be good at talking to people (based on the story above). The OP says they are an introvert and might find that more difficult.
grosjona 8y ago
It's terrible that friendship these days is based on superficial/selfish character features like confidence instead of more socially beneficial features like altruism. If evolution keeps going in this direction then there will be a point where capitalism won't be able to support it anymore. Capitalism was designed for a certain kind of species and we are no longer it.
shafyy 8y ago
First, as the other commenter said, FB had something between 150 and 450 employees in 2007 (depending on when in 2007 you did that). You can still do that with "smaller" startups today, of course. But you can also just email the CEO of a 150 person startup and they'll reply if you're not full of shit. Second, just because it worked for you doesn't mean it works in general. I'm sure if 1,000 people did it, a couple of them would be successful. But that's definitely not the best way to get peoples attention. Some YC partner says in one of their Investor Startup School lecture that they hate it when people stalk investors at their favorite coffee shop or whatever and that it leads to an adverse effect.

nl 8y ago

I think you need to pick your targets. 2007 FB isn’t the same as 2018 Google. Also it seems like you might be good at talking to people (based on the story above). The OP says they are an introvert and might find that more difficult.

grosjona 8y ago

It's terrible that friendship these days is based on superficial/selfish character features like confidence instead of more socially beneficial features like altruism. If evolution keeps going in this direction then there will be a point where capitalism won't be able to support it anymore. Capitalism was designed for a certain kind of species and we are no longer it.

shafyy 8y ago

First, as the other commenter said, FB had something between 150 and 450 employees in 2007 (depending on when in 2007 you did that). You can still do that with "smaller" startups today, of course. But you can also just email the CEO of a 150 person startup and they'll reply if you're not full of shit. Second, just because it worked for you doesn't mean it works in general. I'm sure if 1,000 people did it, a couple of them would be successful. But that's definitely not the best way to get peoples attention. Some YC partner says in one of their Investor Startup School lecture that they hate it when people stalk investors at their favorite coffee shop or whatever and that it leads to an adverse effect.