Optimal Work Daily - Career, Productivity and Entrepreneurship 1947: A New Startup Called Fomo - Should I Invest In It? By Mike Smerklo on Risk Assessment
Jan 29, 2026
A look at Silicon Valley’s 1999-like frenzy and why booming innovation draws massive capital. Discussion of unicorn valuations and bubble warnings. Exploration of how FOMO fuels risky investing and even pushes employees into precarious startup roles. Practical cautions about balancing ambition with realistic risk assessment.
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Unprecedented Pace Of Technological Change
- Silicon Valley's pace of innovation is unprecedented and affecting every industry.
- Mike Smerklo cites solar, IoT, 3D printing, online education, and robotics as examples driving broad, accelerating change.
Valuations Are Not The Same As Impact
- Valuations and innovation are separate lenses and can give conflicting signals about a bubble.
- High valuations driven by FOMO can obscure whether startups are truly solving big problems or just priced on hype.
FOMO Distorts Investor Risk Appetite
- FOMO in investors shifts focus entirely to upside and causes them to ignore fundamental risk.
- That mindset pours capital too easily, inflates valuations, and lets price overtake business substance.
