10 People Companies

Was ambling around Mountain View today. I just decided to drop into all the offices where I knew people who worked there - unannounced. Stupid idea.

I basically ended up meeting nobody. Firstly, it came as an interesting surprise that with all the sophisticated entry systems in place, you can't even enter an office, because someone has to be expecting you to let you in. And it doesn't help when most phones go to voicemail, while you stand at the door, dialing your contact.

Anyways, with some time on hand, just hanging around worked to my advantage. Somebody would usually be stepping out or entering, and I'd eventually get inside to learn that the person I wanted to meet wasn't in office.

The good thing about startups is that they're different. One place had music blaring in the workplace for all to enjoy. Furniture in one was usually sparse and colorful, and another had the walls adorned with valued customer speak. I felt kinda weird that every word I spoke was audible to everyone in the room. I don't think anybody cared, but it was different from my experience back home, but then that experience was with a multi-billion dollar, hundred thousand people strong company too.