Intel
What I knew before
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Intel is a leading chip processor and has been producing PC for a very long time
Introduction and Expectations
I expected Intel to be very industrial with people intensely working on secretive projects. The reason that I thought this was because I have always known Intel to produce chips and other very technical products, but I have never heard anything to indicate that they are innovative and modern the same way that a Google or Apple is.
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As discussed in "The Intel Trinity," the company was founded in 1968 when Robert Noyce did not get the CEO position at Fairchild Semiconductor, so he left the company to start Intel. The name Intel coming from INTegrated circuits and ELectronics. They became virtually the most important electronics company in the world by the early 1960's because of the impact of the integrated circuit, one of the most important inventions of all time. Despite heavy competition, Intel would go on to lead the industry for over 40 years. They have developed an elite silicon processing chip, and they have a museum that showcases the progression of the chip.
Visit Summary
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Our visit with Intel was led by Katherine Kepler, an Intel Marketing Director. They spoke a lot about the competition in their industry and how their specialization keeps them ahead of their competitors. Intel revolutionized the personal desktop computers, with their chips being used in a wide variety of products. They also spoke about their marketing strategy, showing us how they target the “human experience” and how Intel supports people as the intellectual backbone behind our everyday products.
Katherine also talked about the great work-life balance that she has at Intel; she was able take a lot of time off during her pregnancy and after she had a child, and also is able to work a part time schedule even as a director. More-so than any other employee we met, Katherine said that she loved her job not for the company itself, but rather for the people and the part-time schedule she enjoys. She can take vacations and spend time with her kids while still enjoying a competitive salary with a boss that she loves, and that is what drives he to go to work everyday.
Intel works with a “tick-tock” model - they improve their current technology non-stop while still innovating and creating new products. Intel is the largest employer in Portland, larger than Nike, with thousands of PhDs working for them.
Key Takeaways
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Intel’s stock soared for years and year’s as one of Silicon Valley’s most influential companies, and still has a great impact on technology today. With that being said, Intel is no longer in the conversation when people discuss the leading technology company in the world in 2017, and that goes to show that it is very important that companies never get complacent; if a company is not constantly innovating, a new company like Apple can come onto the market out of nowhere and become the new top player in the industry.
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Work-life balance is extremely important. While it is important to love what you do, it is also important that loving what you do also lets you love other parts of your life. Katherine showed us what a happy work-life balance really looks like, and this level of comfortability was seldom seen in some of the intense companies that we visited.
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After learning about the story of Noyce in both "The Intel Trinity" and in "Secrets of Silicon Valley," I see the value in having the courage to leave something special when you do not believe in it in order to pursue your own venture. Noyce was the kind of guy that would not tolerate not getting exactly what he wanted, which caused him to leave Fairchild and start Intel, changing technology forever.
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Post Visit Actions/ Thoughts
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The fact that Katherine was not really passionate about the company was something that stuck with me. While visiting, I asked the question, “Why do you love working for Intel?” and her answer did not mention the company or its mission, but rather the aforementioned work-life balance. I really admire people who are bought in on the mission of the company that they work for, and she was not one of those people.
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Intel seems like it is trying to play catch-up with companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google who have just taken over the tech world in the past two decades.