Thank you to Chris Van Groningen, Head of Talent & People for UDACITY.  Chris was the kindest person to me in all of Silicon Valley.  He listened about my project and happily took my business card and said he would give it to the team that would best serve me.  How refreshing in a sea of huge buildings with Gatekeepers galore that politely smile and you know they round file your card the second you are out of sight.

I took the elevator up to the floor of AUDACITY and was stunned.  There were bicycles hanging on the wall for alternative transporation to work.  There were no offices orcubicles anywhere.  It was all beautiful open space with windows, lovely furnishings, and people smiling and talking to each other generating ideas.  There were lots of people busy on their computers, but they were sitting in couches or at tables with each other.  I felt happy just standing and watching them.  It was obvious the success and productivity of UDACITY came from content and appreciated workers.

After being told “No” all day long, I was inspired by this poster in their workplace.

SUCCESS SEEMS TO BE LARGELY A MATTER OF HANGING ON AFTER OTHERS HAVE LET GO

-William Feather