August 6, 2007: Beijing 2007

Just back from Beijing, which may be the city with the greatest transformative energy and forward momentum on the planet this summer. It's a hectic, optimistic, electrifying environment--and one with great potential for online businesses.

I had the pleasure of getting together with several folks from our company's China operations. I spent one morning talking about the transition from a print to an online focus. They're facing many of the same challenges we've had, and it was good to be able to share specific strategies, products, and tactics that have (and haven't) worked for us in the US.

I also had breakfast one day with Allen Wang, a former Yahoo colleague who later served as chief marketing officer for Google China. Now he's left Google and started a business in Beijing that includes a strong online community component aimed at parents of young children. Allen said that since launching in March they've already gained over 60,000 registered users who are staying on the site for an average of over 30 minutes per visit: very exciting stats for the early going. Allen's experience verifies that in China, as in the US, community as a media platform has a very promising future.

I also asked Allen, as someone who experienced both Yahoo and Google, what he felt set Google apart. Why has it succeeded while Yahoo continues to fail to realize its potential? He said if he had to name one thing that distinguishes Google it's understanding and maintaining the unique Google culture. The recruiting and interviewing processes, particularly for anyone with management responsibilities, is truly exhaustive, Allen told me, with a heavy focus on determining whether candidates will fit in, thrive in, and perpetuate the Google culture.

Meanwhile, in my experience, Yahoo started losing its way when it failed to integrate acquired companies that had different values and priorities. Many of these companies were acquired precisely because their business models failed, leading to a bargain basement price. In my opinion, Yahoo didn't fully appreciate why it succeeded in the past, and therefore didn't work hard enough to maintain those success vectors. It sounds like Google won't be making the same blunder. All of us who are involved in the hiring process can learn from this tale of two search engines. It's incredibly valuable to understand how culture contributes to success, and take steps to preserve the most positive cultural attributes. This is one of Google's highest corporate priorities. Who are we to disagree?