“I’ll take winning the AI market over a ping pong table, bean bag chairs, and a snack/barista center every time.”

Don Allen
Co-Founder and CEO
Strut Partners
… commenting on LinkedIn about the trade-off between workplace perks and competitive drive in the AI industry.

Dallas CEO Don Allen, a six-time co-founder with three exits, made the pointed comment in response to a LinkedIn post by Joseph Alexander, CEO and Founder of The Uptown Agency.

Alexander shared a quote last week from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who reportedly told Stanford University students that “Google decided that work-life balance and going home early and working from home was more important than winning” in the AI race against OpenAI.

The post sparked comments about startup culture, remote work, productivity, and the potential trade-offs between startup intensity and the amenities offered by tech companies. Notably, Schmidt later “walked back” his remarks. In an email to The Wall Street Journal, he acknowledged that he “misspoke” about Google’s work hours and policies.

But on Alexander’s post, the conversation continued with business and tech leader perspectives on the topic, including:

• Scott Harper, founder | CEO at Dallas-based Dialexa, an IBM Company: “There’s a lot of truth in this. Successful startups do whatever it takes and burn harder than scaled companies. Doesn’t make it sustainable but it is true in my experience and observations.”
• Eileen Kelley, executive partner at IBM: “… maybe startups work because they are started at home in a garage, so no time wasted in needless commutes and water cooler chatter or trying to find an open conference room of phone booth. Things that make you go ‘hmmm. ‘”
• Ali Saidi, CFO and controller at Liberty Harbor Group: “Google started in a garage so they did not have any commuting. Also, the reason they are behind in AI is that they were too comfortable being the leading search engine with no real competition. Now they are panicking with AI & Cloud business but it is too late.”
• Rohit Gopakumar, CEO at Times Network; World Wide Media: “I guess what makes the difference in any business/career is who is DRIVEN or SELF-DRIVEN. Self-driven people don’t bother about noise but only focus on their journey to the goal. Their work is also their life which they love so no conflict.”
• Sam Darwish, CEO at Frisco-based The Functionary: “More about passion, desire, and management. … What makes startups work a lot of times is the flat management structure.”

What’s your take? Check out Alexander’s LinkedIn thread for more. 

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

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