About the Book
Silicon Valley is recognized globally as a hotbed of innovation and entrepreneurship.
It's the birthplace of world-famous companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook
and home to a few legends such as NASA at the Ames Research Center. Our 16 authors have created 16 high-impact chapters that can give you and your business the Silicon Valley advantage.
Why is Silicon Valley such an entrepreneurial place? A major contributor to the phenomenon is our diversity--half of us don't speak English at home. But our diversity goes far beyond ethnicity. A wide variety of perspectives, thinking styles, and work approaches also contributes to the magic of Silicon Valley, creating breakthroughs that have disrupted business models (Airbnb and Lyft) and even shifted our perception of the future of meat
(the "Impossible Burger").
We're also one of the most educated regions in the US--nearly half of us graduated
college, and about a fifth have earned graduate degrees. Businesses here
are filled with smart, well-educated, experienced people. But like all organizations
made up of human beings, we are subject to the same pitfalls that threaten companies
everywhere.
Many businesses that were successful 100 years ago no longer exist. Trapped by
their own success, they gradually learned to reduce risk and avoid failure at all
costs and consequently squelched or killed innovation and creativity. This made
them vulnerable to competition from new or more aggressive companies with less
to lose. Are your greatest contributions and successes behind you or ahead of you?
Even brilliant people can underperform--or fail--for entirely predictable (and
avoidable!) reasons.
Similar hazards face successful executives, professionals, and leaders of every
kind. One danger of success is the increased difficulty of recognizing and adjusting
to shifts in the business environment. No one knows this better than the former
leaders of Nokia and Kodak, two once-great brands that ignored the timeless wisdom
that a peak always conceals a treacherous valley.
It can be hard to see new possibilities that will allow future success, especially when it requires letting go of previously effective strategies that served you well. This is where the outside perspective of a consultant can be particularly useful. Our 16 authors offer you a competitive advantage in the business world and an alternative to that treacherous valley.
Dive into the Silicon Valley magic by reading one of our chapters. As a result, you'll understand why in this amazing center of innovation, failures are called "prototypes," the "impossible" is merely difficult, and dreams become reality.
About the Author :
Russell Brand has founded three successful companies and advised and made angel investments in hundreds more. His current focus is on crafting investor and customer stories to enable early stage companies to have their offerings valued and appreciated. Russell offers strategic advising to companies of all sizes and shapes. He has done noted work in open source adoption, artificial intelligence-aided software engineers, and computer security and has sold and been awarded six patents in the organization of computer storage. Several of his projects have individually resulted in tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in savings to US taxpayers. He has been active in several angel investment groups, including Keiretsu Forum and MIT Angels. Russell received his masters from University of California, Berkeley, and his bachelor's degree from MIT, where he was a member of Tau Beta Pi and an officer of Eta Kappa Nu. Email: brand@QuietCandor.com Website: http: //www.QuietCandor.com/ LinkedIn: https: //www.linkedin.com/in/russell-brand/ Hong Nguyen-Phuong challenges and inspires teams to fully engage, lead, and innovate. He co-founded Hotaru Media and is a member of Silicon Valley Alliances. Hong studied engineering at MIT, computer science at Boston University, and general management at Harvard Business School. He is committed to learning constantly in interactions with stakeholders and teams to bring innovation and value to market. His 2019 engagements brought to market a food logistics platform and a block-chained communications platform. Hong is certified in project management, Scrum, and scaled agile. Active in local communities, he is most proud of being awarded Individual Member of the Year by the Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce. Email: hong.nguyenp@gmail.com Website: https: //siliconvalleyalliances.com/ LinkedIn: https: //www.linkedin.com/in/hongnguyenp/ Kimberly Wiefling helps people achieve what seems impossible but is merely difficult. She's the founder of Wiefling Consulting and co-founder of Silicon Valley Alliances. She wrote a project management book that has been popular globally for over a decade, Scrappy Project Management: The 12 Predictable and Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces, which was also published in Japanese by Nikkei Business Press. Kimberly is the executive editor of a series of Scrappy Guides, most recently, Scrappy Women in Business and Scrappy Campaigning. Her expertise includes global leadership and team effectiveness, program and project management, creativity and innovation, and organizational culture. Kimberly is wildly enthusiastic about working with people and teams who are committed to solving global problems, profitably and thus sustainably, in order to make a powerful positive difference on Planet Earth. Email: kimberly@siliconvalleyalliances.com Websites: SiliconValleyAlliances.com, KimberlyWiefling.com, Wiefling.com LinkedIn: https: //www.linkedin.com/in/scrappykimberlywiefling/
Review :
"Wow, if you are looking for a book to help you start, scale, maximize, or run your business more effectively, this book is for you! Turning Ideas into Impact is truly a treasure trove of valuable golden nuggets of wisdom, practical advice, and sheer relevant brilliance! Each author does a wonderful job of bringing their A game. They share stories, examples, and steps that will help you better yourself, your team, and your business. I can't wait to share this book with my friends and associates because it really does have something for everyone and meets them wherever they may be on their path."
--Steve Rodgers
CEO/President of Alchemy Advisors and former CEO of a Warren Buffett Company
"If you're looking for a book loaded with useful advice and strategies from highly successful, in-demand consultants who have solid track records growing companies and building leaders, this is it."
--Lisa Orrell, CPC
The Personal Development Pro Keynote Speaker, Author, Leadership and Life Coach, Thought Leader
"Turning Ideas into Impact packs a powerful wallop with its brilliance! Sixteen battletested Silicon Valley consultants deliver over 150 Ahas with practical tips designed to maximize your success and help you avoid missteps. The power behind this book is in its diversity of authors, viewpoints, and ideas. Get this book now if you want to succeed faster, bigger, and bolder!"
--Bill Jensen
Author of bestsellers Simplicity, Disrupt, and The Courage Within Us
"The authors of this excellent book have written some great insights on culture, innovation, and agility and how using principles of aligning around common goals, acting quickly, and adjusting often can reap genuine business benefits. Their wealth of experience shines through in every chapter."
--Mike Stockley
Banking Executive
