social hierarchy in sf

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, an 18 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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onto today’s topic: social hierarchy in sf ⚖️

yesterday i had a really great chat with my sf fav, irene (also self-proclaimed witty, smart, funny & a cutiepie). we talked about anything and everything, from being an ambivert to salted eggs.

but one point stuck with me and got me thinking: there’s a pretty intense social hierarchy in sf. of course, this exists everywhere, but the levels are more pronounced in sf especially. although i haven’t been a victim to it, i definitely see it around me and online in the tech space.

i’ll break down the hierarchy how i see it:

level 1: the investors
the people everyone is dying to talk to. you have an investor call? no worries, drop everything and log on. networking event? nah, i don’t wanna go. wait, it’s sponsored by khosla? never mind, i’ll be there. the investors have the money and get everything rolling in sf. 💰️ 

level 2: the founders
even this has sub-levels. have you IPO’d? series a? monthly arr? etc etc. but, it’s true that founders sit very high on the social hierarchy (with exceptions of course), only bending for investors. being a founder makes you credible and legit in sf.

level 3: the software engineers
sf revolves around tech, so the software engineers still have some status. but apparently working a 9-5 is equivalent to a life sentence, so not as much social power.

level 4: finally, the “common people”
this is the bucket for people that are none of the above. they are the others, despite being what hold up each and every functioning startup. product leaders, operations, strategy and a lot more.

sf is transactional because it’s so startup driven. founders want money and good talent, and investors want a return on investment. it’s just a bunch of relationships of wants layered on top of each other, and the people that have the most of what people want (money) end up on top. 🔝 

i’m fortunate to be working in a community where hacking away at different projects and doing meaningful work is valued all the same. like everywhere, it’s important to find your way to a culture that works the best for you.

it has been such a fun first week in the bay, and i’m excited for the rush of different opportunities and project building to continue. i’ll probably drop my 2 cents on the sf scene every other week, so stay tuned. i know there’s a lot of glorification and underrated aspects to sf — hopefully this will provide a lens of unfiltered insight. (:

what social hierarchies do you notice around you?

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