--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are still very focused on the…" description: "\"People are still very focused on the startup story: Risk-taking founders, with a bold idea, some capital and a network supportive environment, go out a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/reid-hoffman-1342_bold_people-are-still-very-focused-on-the-sta_2163676.jpg" --- # People are still very focused on the startup story… ![“People are still very focused on the startup story: Risk-taking founders, with a bold idea, some capital and a network supportive environment, go out and take the shot on goal. But the problem is, this is no longer the truth about what makes Silicon Valley so special.” quote by Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/reid-hoffman-1342_bold_people-are-still-very-focused-on-the-sta_2163676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/reid-hoffman-1342_bold_people-are-still-very-focused-on-the-sta_2163676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/reid-hoffman-1342_bold_people-are-still-very-focused-on-the-sta_2163676.jpg) > “People are still very focused on the startup story: Risk-taking founders, with a bold idea, some capital and a network supportive environment, go out and take the shot on goal. But the problem is, this is no longer the truth about what makes Silicon Valley so special.” [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The classic startup myth of risk‑taking founders is outdated; Silicon Valley’s edge now lies in network effects, platform dynamics, and talent ecosystems. **In simple terms:** Startup myths are outdated; ecosystem matters more. Key Takeaway Focus on building ecosystems, not just bold ideas. Themes innovation ecosystem network effects talent platforms Mood analytical critical forward‑looking Type observational strategic When to use this quote - venture capital decisions - product launch strategies - talent recruitment - ecosystem building Key Concepts Platform economics network theory human capital Questions to Reflect On - How can founders leverage ecosystem strengths? - What risks remain essential for breakthrough? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize; many startups still succeed via bold risk‑taking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Risk taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-taking/) [Silicon valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silicon-valley/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [I'm always attracted to bold, risk-taking scripts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-gillen/i-m-always-attracted-to-bold-risk-taking-scripts/) [Aidan Gillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-gillen/) > [Silicon Valley tends to believe in the individual who creates a small group and does something big. Democracy is always frustrating, but it creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/silicon-valley-tends-to-believe-in-the-individual-who-creates-a-small-2/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Silicon Valley tends to be very myopic - to be focused on one or two things - which has some strengths as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/silicon-valley-tends-to-be-very-myopic-to-be-focused-on-one-or-two/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [We don't celebrate failure in Silicon Valley. We celebrate learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/we-don-t-celebrate-failure-in-silicon-valley-we-celebrate-learning/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Silicon Valley tends to believe in the individual who creates a small group and does something big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/silicon-valley-tends-to-believe-in-the-individual-who-creates-a-small/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Democracy tends to be a collaborative process, a committee, a consensus. Silicon Valley tends to believe in the individual who creates a small group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/democracy-tends-to-be-a-collaborative-process-a-committee-a-consensus-2/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Observe, orient, decide, act. It's fighter pilot terminology. If you have the faster OODA loop in a dogfight, you live. The other person dies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/observe-orient-decide-act-it-s-fighter-pilot-terminology-if-you-have/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Even by Silicon Valley standards, PayPal's vision was massively ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/even-by-silicon-valley-standards-paypal-s-vision-was-massively/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The real secret of Silicon Valley is that it's really all about the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-real-secret-of-silicon-valley-is-that-it-s-really-all-about-the/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I think 'Settlers of Catan' is such a well-designed board game - it's the board game of entrepreneurship - that I made a knockoff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-settlers-of-catan-is-such-a-well-designed-board-game-it-s-the/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Silicon Valley is a mindset, not a location.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/silicon-valley-is-a-mindset-not-a-location/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I really like the 'Silicon Valley' show. It's good to do a little rib-poking and not take yourself too seriously, so I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-really-like-the-silicon-valley-show-it-s-good-to-do-a-little-rib/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [At Silicon Valley, I'm extremely sympathetic to the revolutionary response. I not only agree with it emotionally. I agree with it practically. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/at-silicon-valley-i-m-extremely-sympathetic-to-the-revolutionary/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The only risk is not taking the risk. You've got to take that step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaycie-phelps/the-only-risk-is-not-taking-the-risk-you-ve-got-to-take-that-step/) Jaycie Phelps > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) ## More by Reid Hoffman > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In software speed to market, speed to learning is really key. In hardware if you screw it up you are dead. So accuracy really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/in-software-speed-to-market-speed-to-learning-is-really-key-in/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [“Stockpiling facts won’t get you anywhere. What will get you somewhere is being able to access the information you need, when you need it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/stockpiling-facts-won-t-get-you-anywhere-what-will-get-you-somewhere/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I think the randomness by Donald Trump's governing, by tweeting, sloganeering, attacking, will create great chaos in the entire market. I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-the-randomness-by-donald-trump-s-governing-by-tweeting/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Democracy is always frustrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/democracy-is-always-frustrating/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [One of the ways they run forward is by viewing the thing they’re doing as something that’s going to be the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/one-of-the-ways-they-run-forward-is-by-viewing-the-thing-they-re/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [If you could train an AI to be a Buddhist, it would probably be pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-could-train-an-ai-to-be-a-buddhist-it-would-probably-be-pretty/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [It’s actually pretty easy to be contrarian. It’s hard to be contrarian and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/it-s-actually-pretty-easy-to-be-contrarian-it-s-hard-to-be-contrarian/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Giving birth to something that could possibly change the lives of millions of people for possibly decades, hundreds of years, whatever the length of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/giving-birth-to-something-that-could-possibly-change-the-lives-of/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The entrepreneurial journey starts with jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-entrepreneurial-journey-starts-with-jumping-off-a-cliff-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Be persistent, and hang on to your vision. And at the same time, be flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/be-persistent-and-hang-on-to-your-vision-and-at-the-same-time-be/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [First mover Advantage doesn't go to the company that starts up, it goes to the company that scales up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/first-mover-advantage-doesn-t-go-to-the-company-that-starts-up-it/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Before dreaming about the future or marking plans, you need to articulate what you already have going for you - as entrepreneurs do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/before-dreaming-about-the-future-or-marking-plans-you-need-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The metaphor that I frequently use for entrepreneurship is jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane plane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-metaphor-that-i-frequently-use-for-entrepreneurship-is-jumping/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [ I think most of \[people\] are not very well educated themselves to understand the Winston Churchill line - democracy is the worst of all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-most-of-people-are-not-very-well-educated-themselves-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) [Explore all 253 Reid Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## More Bold quotes > [Be bold enough to find the one thing that you are passionate about. It might not be what you were trained to do. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/be-bold-enough-to-find-the-one-thing-that-you-are-passionate-about-it/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [True Religion has always been about being bold and staying real, and I felt dat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sexyy-red/true-religion-has-always-been-about-being-bold-and-staying-real-and-i/) [Sexyy Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sexyy-red/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I don't know where this glamorous image and all came from. I don't find myself glamorous or bold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riya-sen/i-don-t-know-where-this-glamorous-image-and-all-came-from-i-don-t/) [Riya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riya-sen/) > [House Republican women are trailblazers in their own right, and we are focused on a bold, forward-looking agenda to restore a confident America, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/house-republican-women-are-trailblazers-in-their-own-right-and-we-are/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/be-bold-in-your-caring-and-be-bold-in-your-dreaming/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I was brought up in a Christian home in Australia with a father who was very bold about his faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/i-was-brought-up-in-a-christian-home-in-australia-with-a-father-who/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) > [“Be calm; yet assertive. Be meek; yet courageous. Be gentle; yet bold. Be kind; yet strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman-2/be-calm-yet-assertive-be-meek-yet-courageous-be-gentle-yet-bold-be/) [Charles F Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman-2/) > [“In your darkest times, never be afraid. The Lord's presence is always with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/in-your-darkest-times-never-be-afraid-the-lord-s-presence-is-always/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Well, I am bold and very opinionated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/well-i-am-bold-and-very-opinionated/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [We need more bold fighters like Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-robinson/we-need-more-bold-fighters-like-donald-trump/) [Mark Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-robinson/) > [You can do right or you can do what you are told. And the prize of the victory will belong to the bold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/you-can-do-right-or-you-can-do-what-you-are-told-and-the-prize-of-the/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [“Often in the real world, it’s not the smart who get ahead, but the bold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/often-in-the-real-world-it-s-not-the-smart-who-get-ahead-but-the-bold/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [We need bold leadership to bring America back to its first principles of diversity inclusion and opportunity for everyone in every ZIP Code, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/we-need-bold-leadership-to-bring-america-back-to-its-first-principles/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) Browse all 680 Bold quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People are still very focused on the startup story: Risk-taking founders, with a bold idea, some capital and a network supportive environment, go out and take the shot on goal. 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