It's graduation season and speeches and inspiration can be found on every campus... and in every corner of the Internet. Even though my own graduations are long behind me, I love this one, titled Question Authority from Charlene Li, founder of the Altimeter Group.
Beyond what you'd expect from a post with that title, such as breaking all rules, etc., Li talks about her experience with the "hacker" mindset of Silicon Valley.
A hacker is always trying to find a better way. To a hacker, innovation is too slow and too small. Hackers think big, striving to upset entire ecosystems. I love hackers. I am a hacker.
After years of the same old, same old in the PLM industry, I knew there had to be a better way. We set out to create that at Aras. And I think we’re doing a pretty good job.
First, we created better technology. Modern, flexible technology that's designed to adapt to the way your business works, not the other way around. It helps a lot that it actually works too.
Then we hacked the PLM enterprise business model. I hate the sales approach taken by most PLM companies. It is excruciating and when it's over no one, especially the customers, feels very good about it.
At Aras, we don't sell PLM software. We give it away. And if you'd like a little help with it, you can buy some training or some consulting time from our staff of experts. And if you want support and upgrades and good stuff like that, you can buy an annual subscription. We put all the info you need up on our website and we let you make your own decisions. Simple? Yup. Effective? You bet. Refreshing? Absolutely. And it's fair.
And finally, we created an open Community where people with similar interests can come together to create add-on solutions, share ideas and help each other out. Sometimes it's online and sometimes it's in person at our ACE, or Aras Community Events.
Aras is definitely having an impact on the PLM ecosystem. We're changing the way enterprise software is bought, sold and used for the better. And that makes me one proud hacker.
At the end of her article, Li talks about what happens when you've questioned authority, broken all the rules and found that you've actually succeeded. Her advice: question your own authority to remain open, transparent and authentic.
Pretty good advice at any age.
Discover the Aras Difference at www.aras.com/bedifferent