One Hand in the Air for the Big City
Amazon is looking for a second home to house 50,000 of its employees, and New York wants in. Google, which now has 5,000 workers in its Manhattan office, is a prime example of how West Coast tech companies can thrive in the hustle and bustle of New York. With Amazon’s pre-set October 19th deadline drawing closer, competitors (Boston, Chicago, and Memphis among others) are fighting for Amazon’s attention and approval, boasting ideal, populated, and convenient locations just one flight away from Seattle. “Amazon is going to optimize for the lowest salaries and highest quality talent,” Mehul Patel, CEO of Hired, said. “They’re enough of a brand name employer they can lure local graduates and recruit from bigger markets and they can pay less.” We at The Skinny feel New York is a long shot mainly due to culture, expense, and the fact that Amazon wouldn’t likely get as much love as they would being the big fish in a small (city) pond. (Source: Bloomberg Tech)
Tech Republic
*Code Green* TechCrunch Disrupt is back in San Francisco and kicked off this morning. Attendees can look forward to discussions about the effects of cryptocurrency on startups, how to solve societal problems, investments in the Chinese marketplace, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the fate of Gavin Belson. NBA superstar Kevin Durant will also participate in a talk about investing in the Bay Area. With a stacked agenda of reputable speakers from across the world, this year’s Disrupt SF is bound to be a hit. Rumor has is it that Durant and Belson are reading up on our book Digital Leadership. #shamelessplug (Source: TechCrunch)
And the Emmy Award Goes to…
Hulu, a video on demand subscription service, just officially earned its spot at the table with Netflix and HBO. Last night at the 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Hulu won its first award for Outstanding Drama Series with Handmaid’s Tale, beating out three of Netflix’s nominees. Netflix still took home 20 awards, following behind NBC’s batch of 29. Competition doesn’t just lay in the numbers, but also in the creative ways they market their shows. Prior to the Emmy’s, Hulu set off a social media ripple effect for Handmaid’s Tale by showcasing a few dozen women, clothed in the show’s signature red cloaks and white hats, in the streets of Los Angeles to promote the network. It’s a brilliant marketing ploy, but I would NOT want to run into them at the after party. (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Monday’s Must-Know Word:
Silicon Beach: Westside region of Los Angeles that is home to over 500 tech startups. Equalman will be performing and doing book signings there this week.
