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Can You Really Build a Great Tech Firm Outside Silicon Valley?

Both Sides of the Table

But one common theme I’m hearing from there in 2011 is that it’s impossible to recruit. Douglas Merrill, the former CIO of Google, is building his next company, ZestCash in LA. Each of these companies exited for more than $500 million and several north of $1 billion. Zorik Gordon built & IPO’s ReachLocal.