Valet Parking, a cultural disconnect?

Following up on the announcement earlier this week that I am managing a fund whose  partners include Accel, AT&T, Venrock and the William Morris Talent agency, there has been a lot of discussion about the connection between Silicon Valley and Hollywood.

I have spent time spanning these two industries for the last 15 years so people expect I would have a unique and special insight as to why the cultures of Silicon Valley and Hollywood are so different.  And while doing an interview yesterday and being ask that question, the answer that popped into my head was, "Could it be the Valet Parking?"

LA and Valet parking go hand in hand.  Not only is it offered just about everywhere, in most places its the only option.  Especially in "Hollywood".  Go to any of the top agencies, management companies, studios etc for a meeting and they have Valet parking.  These companies provide the service for free (of course you should tip the driver) and its expected that its offered.  If you had a meeting at an agency and when you got there you had to park your car yourself, you would wonder what was wrong. Its expected, its offered, it even has its own subculture.

Yes a valet parking subculture.  If you are driving a nice enough car (a high threshold in LA) they don't even give you a claim ticket.  They just wink at you as you get out of your car and they tell you they'll "keep it up front for you".  This is basically valet park secret code for "Hey you're car is cool so we will leave it up front for you, show it off for you, you can get it quickly when you leave, and of course you should give us an extra big tip".

Silicon Valley.  No valet parking to be found.  Not at any of the venture capital firms, not any any of the established tech companies, not at any of the very well funded hot and fast growing startups.  Its a find your own spot, often just parking in a huge flat parking lot, or a block away in a public lot, and hoof it. But while you are hoofing it you better be talking on your iPhone, wearing your khakis and dress shirt, and wondering how you are going to hire next year's top graduates from the Stanford MBA program.

Maybe its that simple, or that deep, or maybe this is just a bogus thought.   

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