Obama will soon be leaving the White House, which means he’ll need a new job. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Obama said, “Had I not gone into politics, I’d probably be starting some kind of business. The skill set of starting my presidential campaigns—and building the kinds of teams that we did and marketing ideas—I think would be the same kinds of skills that I would enjoy exercising in the private sector… The conversations I have with Silicon Valley and with venture capital pull together my interests in science and organization in a way I find really satisfying.”
Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, aka the self-proclaimed center of the VC universe, was quick to jump at this opportunity. A few things on Obama’s resume that stood out to them:
- Able to motivate people better than anyone else.
- Has enough perspective to invest in those who don’t fit the Silicon Valley mold.
- Has a track record of big wins and epic fails. Both are needed to be successful.
- Able to sit through long presentations, remember countless names and faces, and kiss crying babies. Perfect skill set when working with founders.
- Has the world’s largest and most reliable network. (Verizon does not.)
It’s still too early to tell what Obama will do after he leaves office, but he has always been an advocate of the entrepreneurial culture. And he will probably need a new place to live. The Bay Area in all its tech glory seems to fit the bill perfectly. How his potential move may affect Bay Area home prices is still TBD.
