Presentation to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Technology Entrepreneur Center visit to Silicon Valley #TECSV January 16, 2020 @ Carta

1. Self-Selecting Into Chaos
What I’ve learned working in Tech
Ron Pragides
https://twitter.com/mrp

2. Ron Pragides
Born in Chicago, Illinois
BS Electrical Engineering @ UIUC 1992
(+ additional education not at UIUC)

3. Where I’ve Been
1992 1998 2005 2012 2019

4. What I’ve Seen
1992 1998 2005 2012 2019
Java
introduced
Salesforce
IPO
Twitter
IPO
Dot-com
boom

5. Size Matters
1992 1998 2005 2012 2019
...
...
...
# people (when I started)
~44k
~30k ~30k
100
40
~100
550
~1000
500
~700
~500

6. Stability
1992 1998 2005 2012 2019
Chaos

7. Stability
1992 1998 2005 2012 2019
Chaos

8. What Have I Learned?
7 Lessons

9. It’s a Cold World. Forge Your Own Path.

10. Invent (and Reinvent) Yourself.

11. Giants Have Blind Spots.

12. Giants Have Blind Spots.

13. Recruit a Strong Team.

14. Always Be Helpful.

15. Keep Learning.

16. It’s a Cold World. Forge Your Own Path.
Invent (and Reinvent) Yourself.
Giants Have Blind Spots.
Recruit a Strong Team.
Always Be Helpful.
Keep Learning.
Ron Pragides
https://twitter.com/mrp

17. THANK YOU!
Thank You!