--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I learned from my years in Silicon…" description: "\"What I learned from my years in Silicon Valley is that design can have a primary role in how a business is shaped, how a company can be design-driven. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/yves-behar-25596_been_what-i-learned-from-my-years-in-silicon_2576169.jpg" --- # What I learned from my years in Silicon Valley is that… ![“What I learned from my years in Silicon Valley is that design can have a primary role in how a business is shaped, how a company can be design-driven. In my experience of large industry in Europe, that knowledge has been lost.” quote by Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/yves-behar-25596_been_what-i-learned-from-my-years-in-silicon_2576169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/yves-behar-25596_been_what-i-learned-from-my-years-in-silicon_2576169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/yves-behar-25596_been_what-i-learned-from-my-years-in-silicon_2576169.jpg) > “What I learned from my years in Silicon Valley is that design can have a primary role in how a business is shaped, how a company can be design-driven. In my experience of large industry in Europe, that knowledge has been lost.” [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Design should drive business strategy, but Europe often neglects this integration. **In simple terms:** Design can shape business direction. Key Takeaway Integrate design early in strategy. Themes design business strategy innovation Europe Silicon Valley Mood optimistic analytical Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - product development - brand positioning - organizational change Key Concepts design thinking strategic management creative leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can design become a core business function? - What barriers exist in Europe? A Different Perspective Design may be undervalued in traditional firms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Silicon valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silicon-valley/) ## Related quotes > [We want employees teaching each other what they know. We're tying to build a company so each person can achieve at a very high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-sharp/we-want-employees-teaching-each-other-what-they-know-we-re-tying-to/) [Evan Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-sharp/) > [Design can be both a manifestation of a company's design ethic and an outward communication of a company's design ethic and drive for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-lutz/design-can-be-both-a-manifestation-of-a-company-s-design-ethic-and-an/) [Bob Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-lutz/) > [Burberry is now as much a media-content company as we are a design company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bailey/burberry-is-now-as-much-a-media-content-company-as-we-are-a-design/) [Christopher Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bailey/) > [I studied to be an architect. And I find tremendous similarities between building a company and the design process. Businesses have to do their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzman/i-studied-to-be-an-architect-and-i-find-tremendous-similarities/) [John Katzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzman/) > [It is shaped like an L. At the right angle it has 345 or 6 legs to hold it stable, has arms that hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/it-is-shaped-like-an-l-at-the-right-angle-it-has-345-or-6-legs-to/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Our life is shaped by our thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/our-life-is-shaped-by-our-thoughts/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“No matter how great you ‘think’ you are or how successful you've become. Never forget those who have lifted you up. Never forget life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/no-matter-how-great-you-think-you-are-or-how-successful-you-ve-become/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [A defining reality for me is what Scripture teaches in Hebrews 12, that God is our father, and that a sign that he loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/a-defining-reality-for-me-is-what-scripture-teaches-in-hebrews-12/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [I read Naomi Klein's 'No Logo' when I was 15. 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All of them are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moss/there-are-powdered-salts-chunked-salts-salts-shaped-in-different-ways/) [Michael Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moss/) > [“You can be shaped, or you can be broken. There is not much in between. Try to learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-can-be-shaped-or-you-can-be-broken-there-is-not-much-in-between/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [All my words are sort of shaped, all my words, my voice, my gestures, my imagination, are shaped by centuries, really. They are educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rohrwacher/all-my-words-are-sort-of-shaped-all-my-words-my-voice-my-gestures-my/) [Alice Rohrwacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rohrwacher/) > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) ## More by Yves Behar > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My mantra is: 'Good design accelerates the adoption of new ideas.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/my-mantra-is-good-design-accelerates-the-adoption-of-new-ideas/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [I want to work on things that aren't self-evident, to propose things that are radically different and game-changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/i-want-to-work-on-things-that-aren-t-self-evident-to-propose-things/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [The notion of 'reduce and refine' is one I've pursued. I truly believe that by making things less complex, by finding innovative ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/the-notion-of-reduce-and-refine-is-one-i-ve-pursued-i-truly-believe/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [When clients come to my design agency and say 'I want to be the Apple of this or that,' we say 'Okay, are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/when-clients-come-to-my-design-agency-and-say-i-want-to-be-the-apple/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [An ideal day for me is a combination of a fun-exciting creative moment with work partners, some laughs and games with my kids, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/an-ideal-day-for-me-is-a-combination-of-a-fun-exciting-creative/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/to-the-optimist-the-glass-is-half-full-to-the-pessimist-the-glass-is/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [I wanted to be a writer as a teen... so storytelling was my first love. In my late teens, design became an obsession as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-as-a-teen-so-storytelling-was-my-first-love/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [Designers have a responsibility to show the future as they want it to be - or at least as it can be, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/designers-have-a-responsibility-to-show-the-future-as-they-want-it-to/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [The biggest challenge is that when people look at low price point products, they essentially invest less money in development, innovation, and new technology.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/the-biggest-challenge-is-that-when-people-look-at-low-price-point/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [“Advertising is the price companies pay for being unoriginal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/advertising-is-the-price-companies-pay-for-being-unoriginal/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [If you don't love something, it's not functional, in my opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/if-you-don-t-love-something-it-s-not-functional-in-my-opinion/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [The best design work is really done when you spend more time with people, when you have the opportunity to be of the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/the-best-design-work-is-really-done-when-you-spend-more-time-with/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [Sometimes you can find peace of mind by transferring yourself to different situations. They're just reminders to stay... calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/sometimes-you-can-find-peace-of-mind-by-transferring-yourself-to/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [Design needs a new relationship with the world, one that is more focused on our planet's needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-needs-a-new-relationship-with-the-world-one-that-is-more/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) [Explore all 22 Yves Behar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. 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It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I learned from my years in Silicon Valley is that design can have a primary role in how a business is shaped, how a company can be design-driven. 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