Austonian Vocation

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Table of Contents Letter from the Editor Introduction to the Magazine

About the Authors About the different Authors that contributed to this Article

Local is Better Why supporting local restaurants is important

Super Food: Avocado Benefits of Avocado

Off the Rack Population pressures through the eyes Local Austin retailers

2-3

By David Stout

4-5

By Audrey Sandlin

6-9

By Nishtha Tripathi

10-11

By Nishtha Tripathi

12-15

By Audrey Sandlin

The Local Fashion Fix Local Austin Goods and Where to find them

Austin Athenaeum of Knowledge The uniqueness of local Austin bookstores

Top 5 Genres Chosen by Teenagers Top 5 Genres read by High school students

Silicon Hills The relationship of tech startup companies with Austin

Timeline of Austin Startups Significant events for Austin startup since 1969

16-17

By Audrey Sandlin

18-21

By Kevin Seon

22-23

By Kevin Seon

24-27

By David Stout

28-29

By David Stout

2 | The Austonian Vocation

Letter From the Editor

By DAVID STOUT

Hello, reader. My name is David Stout, and I have been selected by my fellow authors of the Austonian Vocation to act as its editor. Therefore, it is my privilege to introduce you to the magazine we have all worked tirelessly to create.

First, what is the Austonian Vocation? What new facts and stories will enlighten you as you sit utterly enthralled in its pages? Simply put, Austin is a city of diverse people and even more diverse businesses.

Before your very eyes, we will explore Austin’s relationship with semiconductor startups, with clothing retailers, with booksellers (athenaeums if you would believe the author of that article) and with restaurants.

Each of these explorations is wrought with stories of often harrowing entrepreneurship and jubilant success (or not) and with empirical information essential for understanding the city’s economic climate.

So join us in exploring the many Austonian Vocations that fill the city with so many businesses that, as any resident will attest, are nothing short of amazing in their popularity, ingenuity and overall spectacular portrayal of what I’m sure everyone would agree is but what I can describe as nothing else but the spirit of Austin. As cliché as that might sound, there is really no solid way to disagree with it.

Anyway, I’m sure that you are now waiting with bated breath to explore the exciting content I have just outlined, so I will detain you no further. I ask you on behalf of myself and my fellow authors to remember us and our vocations as you read.

Sincerely,

David Stout

Image from iStockphoto.com

Spring 2017 | 3

NISHTHA TRAPITHI

AUDREY SANDLIN

Nishtha, an avid freshman orch dork at LASA, loves meeting new people and fluffy dogs. She loves shopping on South Congress and always appreciates a good milkshake from P Terry’s. Her passion for food as well as her stellar social skills has helped her interview local Austin restaurant owners and write an entire article about the food culture of Austin.

Audrey’s favorite Austin activities include hiking the Greenbelt, going stand-up paddleboarding, and going to music festivals.

She loves playing piano, sea turtles, and frozen yogurt. Audrey is on the LBJ Softball Team. Inspired by a film she worked on about the Oakland affordable housing crisis, she is passionate about population issues facing her hometown.

4 | The Austonian Vocation

KEVIN SEON

DAVID STOUT

Kevin is a freshman at LASA. He enjoys exploring new places around in Austin as well as eating in different local restaurants. In his free time, he enjoys coding, playing the violin, and playing competitive video games with friends. He loves participating in different organization and clubs at Lasa such as Orchestra, Math club, and Science Olympiad.

A freshman at LASA, David is an active and enthusiastic member of the LBJ Marching Band and the LASA Model UN group, and he enjoys the occasional trip to Barton Creek or Springs. His connections with notable figures in the Austin startup community has been advantageous for securing interviews and information for his article, which concerns the city’s tech startup industry.

Spring 2017 | 5

AV

Local is Better

By NISHTHA TRIPATHI

C

ustomers line up outside the teal blue

by and watch Subway and Pizza Hut dominate our

doors of Franklin’s BBQ in Austin, Texas.

seclection of food businesses?

It’s seven am and some families have

been huddled outside since dawn for more than three hours. The small establishment sells

The whole process of creating a local business requires a lot of dedication and support

brisket,ribs, pork and

from the community.

turkey, by the pound,

Aaron Franklin, co-

as well as various

founder of Franklin’s

sandwiches. Ranked

BBQ explained,

number one in Texas

“We started off as

for best barbecue

a trailer and that

by Texas Monthly in

happened pretty

2017, one might say it

organically. We had

accurately captures the taste of typical Austin cuisine.

a camper, I built it in our backyard. It took about a year and then we ended up with that

Local restaurants and shops are essential to culturally diverse and

location.” Franklin went on to explain how may people had helped

rapidly expanding cities such as Austin. They

his family’s business grow and flourish throughout

provide jobs to members of the community and

the years. The business now employs and supports

recycle their revenue back through the community

over 30 families. Some of the employees at

itself. Unfortunately, local shops are disappearing

Franklin’s BBQ have been working there for over

quickly, often being replaced by restaurant chains

six years. Not many chain restaurants can say the

that can offer cheaper food. The question here is;

same about their employees.

should we support our local restaurants or stand 6 | The Austonian Vocation

Terri Hannifin, co-founder of Homeslice said,

smarter, we would prioritize finding a building

“Sometimes I feel like crying with happiness when I

that had previously been a restaurant so the

recall some of the people we have had the pleasure

permitting and build out would be faster and the

to work alongside who have greatly influenced what

cost of building would be much lower. Instead, we

Home Slice has become. We’ve had very talented,

prioritize the neighborhood. That’s what makes us

generous handy people, contractors, artists and

happiest”

other business owners all lend their skills at different times. Mostly the different employees we’ve had throughout the years have been the ones who have made the biggest difference for us.” Franklin’s BBQ and Homeslice are two local restaurants

“We prioritize the neighborhood. That’s what makes us happiest”

in Austin that provide jobs to many community members, even those who may not necessarily

Local businesses also make Austin the unique city

have experience running a business or cooking

it is. People travel from across Texas to visit Amy’s

professionally.

Ice Cream, or Franklin’s BBQ, or Kerbey Lane Cafe.

These are just a few of the restaurants that make

Unlike chain restaurants which decide on a store

Austin, Austin.

front location based on where they would get the most customers, local restaurant owners decide on

Local businesses are important to teenagers at

their store front based on neighborhood. They want

Liberal Arts and Science Academy High School.

to appeal to and support a community. They want to

Aspen Kissinger, an avid Kerbey Lane Cafe

bring people closer together. Terri from Homeslice

customer said, “Local restaurants are a lot more

says, “Neighborhood is super important to us. It

friendly and they know a lot more about the city

has always been our mission to be a neighborhood

and about your specific taste of the city. They are

joint. We love having familiar faces. We love being

used to the culture.” Another student, Samantha

in a walking neighborhood. We love the opportunity

Porter, decided to compare Homeslice Pizza to that

to serve all walks of life. Even though if we were

of Pizza Hut. She explained, “ I think it’s better

The sign on the window of Homesclice, a local pizza store in Austin, Texas.

Spring 2017 | 7

because I feel like they [local businesses] take more time on their stuff because they only focus on a few locations. So like, Homeslice vs Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut doesn’t really care as much because they have more locations. They have to focus on more stuff other than the quality of their food.. It’s just not as good as if you focused on the quality.” Both students were also willing to spend the extra money to buy local food rather than food from chain restaurants.

Fortunately local restaurant owners have no intentions on compromising the quality of their

“Local restaurants are a lot more friendly and they know a lot more about the city.” food or becoming pchain restaurants soon either.

Franklin says he would never like to open up another store front besides the running one. “I really wouldn’t have it any other way. The headache of have multiple locations is horrible. The food quality would never be anywhere near what we wanted it to be, and I want no part of it. Sounds terrible.”

The question arises then, “Is eating at local restaurants better than chain?” Local Austinites and business owners certainly seem to think so. We should work hard to protect the local restaurants that have been here for generations. They help bring members of the community together and make Austin unique.

8 | The Austonian Vocation

Customers sitting outside of Franklin’s BBQ before opening time

Aaron Franklin from Franklin’s BBQ cooking the some meat which will be eventually sold to customers. (LEFT) The outside patio of Franklin’s BBQ before store opening time.

(BOTTOM)

Thank you to Franklin’s BBQ and Homersclice for providing us with pictures. The image of the pizza was courtesy of PIXABAY. Spring 2017 | 9

AVOCADO: THE SUPERFOOD Avocados are full of healthy fats (specifically one fat called monounsaturated oleic acid which helps fuel metabolism).

Avocados contain high levels of Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin E.

Avocados are very fibrous and are essential for the well being of our digestive systems.

Studies show that eating avocados reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels and may even help prevent cancer.

Avocados contain antioxidants such as Lutein and Zeaxanthin that are essential for proper eye health.

IMAGES FROM PIXABAY Trick brought to us by http://www.thekitchn.com/use-this-simple-trick-todetermine-whether-an-avocado-is-ripe-inside-tips-from-the-kitchn-172933 10 | The Austonian Vocation

Nutrition Information found at https://authoritynutrition.com/12-provenbenefits-of-avocado/

A HEALTHY RECIPE Ingredients - One ripe avocado - Two slices of bread - Two large organic eggs - Half of one small/medium sized lemon (Optional) for seasoning -Salt, pepper, roasted poppy seeds, and white or black sesame seeds

1. Fill a pot ž of the way full with water and set it onto medium flame. After the water is about to boil, carefully place in your eggs.

Set a timer for six minutes as soon as the eggs have been put in the water.

2. Take the pulp out of your avocado and cut it into thin slices. Drizzle some fresh lemon juice and salt on top.

4. Enjoy your healthy breakfast or midday snack

3. Toast or grill the two slices of bread and drizzle with olive oil.

Fan the avocado slices on the bread. After the eggs have cooked for six minutes, place them on the middle of each slice of toast.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, roasted poppy seeds, white/black sesame seeds on top.

Spring 2017 | 11

Off the Rack

By AUDREY SANDLIN

o Austinite can measure the effects of citywide growth better than local business owners. Retail shops are an especially important subsection of business because their merchandise embodies the Austin customer, as well as Austin culture.

They are able to watch how the customer and the culture change over time with more people moving to Austin, Texas.

Population pressures, coupled with the growth of Austin’s economy, has placed new pressures on local retail businesses. Austin is experiencing an affordable

Clothing rack at Blue Velvet

housing crisis, which raises rents that many business

increased population. There are more people moving

owners have to pay for the space their shop is in. This

to Austin than the city can afford to house. There is a

can cause many shops to shut down, which could

net growth of 157 people moving to Austin each day

threaten the business-friendly culture of the city. In

according to the Austin Relocation Guide.

other cases, business can improve, depending on many factors such as location, prominence, and inventory.

Austin has been described as having an affordable

“Our rents here are so high compared to — with the

housing crisis. Local business owners must rent spaces

rest of the state, and so in order for people to pay

for their shops, and the rising rent prices have forced

rent, you know they have to make a certain amount

some shops to shut down entirely.

of money. And, in order for us to keep our bills down,

“When rents go up and taxes go up, local businesses

we have to pay a certain rate as well,” said Rosemary

can’t afford the properties anymore. So they are either

Wynn, owner of Oat Willies, a novelty shop on located

forced to shut or relocate. And oftentimes when they

near the University of Texas campus.

relocate it’s not in the areas where they’re gonna get the traffic, or the sales and they eventually close anyways,”

A major challenge many business owners have to

said Rebekka Adams, owner of Bloomers and Frocks, a

face is rising rent costs. Rising rents are a result of an

vintage clothing store on South 1st St.

12 | The Austonian Vocation

Retail shops have merchandise that must constantly

and things like that, that appeal to a broader range

update to keep up with new technology and new

of people,” said Wynn.

demands from customers. “We have had technology changes with our industry, and so we’ve had to do lots of Austin retail shops provide the merchandise more research on new things that are coming out. We’ve that Austinites and tourists alike enjoy. Vintage also added new product lines so far it’s like novelty items shops have a particularly interesting cooperation

“When rents go up and taxes go up, local businesses can’t afford the properties anymore.

So they are either forced to shut or relocate.”

Vintage store at North Loop

between companies, because their merchandise is never identical. Adams describes selling Austin vintage clothing as “a cooperative effort that we put together for marketing for all the vintage and antique stores so it’s for tourists or people out of town who specifically love vintage or antique stuff and that’s what they wanna look for — We put that in downtown hotels, we put it in the visitor’s center and then all the shops have it. Because we all carry very unique things. You’re not gonna find something in my shop that you’re gonna find in another vintage

Photos by Audrey Sandlin

Spring 2017 | 13

store —”. The unique product of vintage clothing

go work somewhere else,” said Oat Willies’

makes it so every shop has a completely

owner Wynn.

different inventory.

Another issue for businesses, is when they hire employees they must compete with other companies to have the lowest wages while still making money.

“There’s a difficult balance and we can definitely tell sometimes we’ll be trying to hire and we won’t get as much for, you know as much response to an ad on Craigslist, or we don’t get as quality of employee,” said Wynn. They must compete to keep the employees working at their store, instead of working at the store with the higher wages. “Say

“When they hire employees they must compete with other companies to have the lowest wages while still making money”

they don’t think they’re making enough money working for us — it’s really easy just to quit and

14 | The Austonian Vocation

Mural outside of North Loop

Room Service Vintage

way to financially support themselves and their For these companies, shopping local makes all the

families. So they either have to move or live in

difference. “It’s important to keep your money

poverty. And then--or they can go work for the

in your local community as much as possible

big-box and then they get lower wages than what

as opposed to just going off to a huge multi-

they were originally making, and then you never

international corporation or something,” said

know if that big-box is gonna leave or not. And if

Jennifer Barker-Benfield, owner of Blue Velvet.

they do leave, it’s just decimating the community.

So it’s really important to stay self-sustaining as a

This helps keep us in a self-sustaining economy,

local economy.”

Adams explains, “It goes to purchasing for other local businesses and it keeps us self-sustaining. And

Austin retail has experienced many changes over

that’s really important because, if you look at small

the years. The effects of these changes can only

towns where Walmart has come in and you see

be measured based on personal experiences of

downtowns just decimated. Local businesses gone

the owners. Shopping locally can help protect

out of business. What happens is when Walmart

the shops that provide Austinites with their

leaves — well, when they come in first of all they

merchandise and, ultimately, a part of

take away the jobs, and people there have no

Austin culture.

Photos by Audrey Sandlin

Spring 2017 | 15

The Local Fashion Fix

Dino Earrings by Vinca https://vincausa.com/

Schnauzer Print Illustrated Ink

By Leila Cothran www.illustratedinkart.com

16 | The Austonian Vocation

Earings JemJunkie

Hat ATown

Pants Pistola

Spring 2017 | 17

AV

Austin Athenaeum of Knowledge

By KEVIN SEON

T

he world is slowly moving toward into the realm

books available to the readers across many

of electronic books as our society consistently

places in Austin. It was the successor to a

develops new technology, such as smartphones

bookmobile that was maintained as a library for

and variety of tablets. Technology allows us to do

25 years, and was the first mobile book retailer

many tasks within close proximity such as reading

in Austin to obtain the permit to be mobile

books. But how will new technology affect the future

retailer. Sukyi McMahon, an owner of Fifth

of our local bookstores? What is it about bookstores

Dimension, was motivated to start this business

that keep people coming back?

from the love that she had her books.

Book Stores in Austin, Texas, such as Dragon’s Lair

This is not a typical book store. It has many

and 5th Dimension, have many features that allow

different characteristics. They have many types

readers to engage and keep on reading. But many

of customers, “tourists, students, faculty, and

things have changed over the years as technology

staff on The Drag. We get hardcore geeks

expands.

at the science-heavy events we attend. And we still draw a great group of neighborhood

Local bookstores are secretly hidden in the corner of

regulars in Hyde Park,” according to Sukyi. And

our daily lives, such as Fifth Dimension, the mobile

because of their unique selling methods, their

book store that has a selection of more than 100,000

business is highly impacted by the weather.

18 | The Austonian Vocation

The Austonian Vocation Courtesy of 5th Dimensions

Their schedule and sales depend heavily on the

seen many changes that have occurred from the

weather. They face problems such as tight corners

ability to acquire books online very easily. But both

and speed bumps. Parallel parking. because of the

businesses also expressed different aspects of local

mobility that the bookstore needs in order to spread

bookstores that kept the businesses successful. As

the books to different areas.

Megan Borges, Content Manager from Dragon’s Lair mentioned,“Although there are many electronic

On the other hand, another local bookstore and comic store called the Dragon’s Lair, has been running their business locally for over 30 years.

In the beginning, the Dragon’s Lair, was a small business located in a tiny space. Eventually, They expanded to a big expansion to a comic/game store that has over 10,000 square feet. Dragon’s Lair has been supporting our local community by participating in marches and charity. They also

reading options available, many people still love to

“Although there are many electronic reading options available, many people still love to have a physical copy in their hands to read, own and love.”

- Megan Borges

provide a friendly environment at their shop with two store pets that greet customers at the door.

have a physical copy in their hands to read, own and

They have a friendly and passionate staff. They love

love. Larger publishers such as Marvel will include

talking about books and comics with each of their

digital codes in their physical comics, so that buying

customers.

it at the store also allows you to read the comic electronically as well.”

As the power of technology grew, both shops have

Sukyi shared her way of her business interactive Spring 2017 | 19

Courtesy of Dragon’s Lair

and relevant to the community, “We knew coming

local writers in for signing, and it’s great to see

in that online book sales were a key competition,

the community get behind them.”

but what business nowadays doesn’t have to deal with that? We have the benefit of taking the books where we know they will sell. So, we combat the competition of online books sales by placing ourselves at events or locations where our presence is convenient.”

Both of the bookstores also show appreciation to the big support that Austin shows for Local bookstores, as Borges mentioned,”Austin is a great city of local supporters and readers. We love having

20 | The Austonian Vocation

“We combat the competition of online books sales by placing ourselves at events or locations where our presence is convenient.”

- Sukyi McMahon

! s e r o t s k o o B r u o Y t r o p p u S 40000

Number of Bookstores in the US from 2004 to 2017

35000

30000

25000 Data from statista.com

20000

2004 2005

2006 2007 2008

2009 2010

2011 2012 2013 2014

2015 2016 2017

This graph shows the decrease in the number of bookstores in the US as it approach 2017. wThe number of independent book selling

Support your bookstores and keep Austin reading!

companies are increasing, but the number of bookstores are decreasing.

Spring 2017 | 21

Top 5 Genres Chosen by Teenagers Poetry 2.2%

Drama 2.2%

Non-Fiction 10.9% Fantasy 6.5%

Mystery 10.9%

Fiction 28.3%

Genres Historical Fiction 6.5%

Action and Adventure 10.9%

Science Fiction 10.9% Comedy 8.7% Satire 2.2%

Fiction

literature in the form of prose, especially short stories and novels, that describes imaginary events and people.

22 | The Austonian Vocation

Science Fiction

fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.

Action and Adventure

A genre of fiction in which action is the key element, overshadowing characters, theme and setting. ‌ The conflict in an adventure story is often man against nature. A secondary plot that reinforces this kind of conflict is sometimes included.

Mystery

a novel, play, or movie dealing with a puzzling crime, especially a murder.

Non-Fiction

prose writing that is based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history.

Spring 2017 | 23

Silicon Labs Austin Headquarters Photo Courtesy of Clear Sky Professional Photography

AV

Silicon Hills

By DAVID STOUT

T

he year is 2000, and hours remain until

it will bring Silicon Labs are just one step in the

Silicon Labs, an Austin-based semiconductor

journey made by the city from a blip on the radar

company that grew from a startup founded

of the tech industry and the nation to a modern

in 1996, releases its stock to the public.

metropolis with a place in the industry to rival

This is the moment of truth for the company’s

that of Silicon Valley. Such a lofty achievement

founders, its early employees, and its investors.

demanded a title, and one was soon devised: Silicon

Tension is high. All of these people own significant

Hills. Silicon Labs currently employs 1,400 people

stock in the company that they bought for less than

according to Tuttle, 510 of which work in Austin,

a dollar per share. If all goes well, this value will

placing it as the 45th largest employer (excluding

spike from 50 cents to more than $50. With shares

government organizations) in the city according to

numbering in the thousands, that adds up quickly.

Austin Texas Homes. With a revenue of $183 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 according to their own

“One of the motivations of going public is to cash

press release, Silicon Labs is but one of the dozens

out. The people who started the company—they

of successful technology companies to call

created value and wanted to be able to sell their

Austin home.

interest to a certain degree,” said Tyson Tuttle, the current CEO of Silicon Labs.

However, there is something else at work here

This initial public offering (IPO) and the success

besides simply the growth of a job market in

24 | The Austonian Vocation

an American city. It was clear from the

founder and former CEO of the startup

beginning that there was something special

Zilker Labs.

about this new breed of company in the semiconductor (processor hardware) industry: the startup.

Despite the comparative lack of Tyson Tuttle CEO, Silicon Labs

funding of hardware startups nowadays compared to the time of Silicon Labs, this

“It’s a little bit of a small family, where you

entrepreneurial element is still prized in

really feel like you get to know the people,

the industry, leading to larger companies

and you share in the stresses every day or

provide funding for startups.

the fun things that happen every day, and when you get a bigger company, it’s just …

“That’s exactly what larger companies and

politics,” said Brad Fluke, one of the earliest

technology try so hard to do which is to

employees of Silicon Labs and the founder

find a way to foster and nurture the new

of his own startup a decade later, “and …

ideas within the company and find a way

[in a small company] you feel like anything

to stay agile like a smaller company would

you do will be noticed. That could be good

and not put so much bureaucracy and

or bad, but there’s really nowhere to hide

rules in place that stifles creativity and

in a group of five people or 10 people.

Everyone knows what everybody else is capable of and you’re kind of accountable to those folks, and you get self-motivated — you really want to contribute.”

Brad Fluke

some smart engineers,” said Fluke.

Founder and Former CEO, Javelin Semiconductor

During the city’s tech hardware boom,

Vice President and General Manager, MEMS Division, Cirrus Logic

the millennium) this funding came from

(in the five-or-so years before the turn of investors called venture capitalists.

A startup is a company started from

“They’re mercenaries,” explained

scratch by a few people with nothing

Templeton. “Their model is find somebody

but some venture capital funding and an

with a great idea, to give them resources

idea, and there is a reason startups in

and money so that they can manifest that

Austin collectively grew by 81 percent in

idea into a product or service which some

2016 according to the Kauffman Growth

companies cash in.”

Entrepreneurship Index.

“If you were a marketing guy and you “Well a lot of new products, new ideas that are solutions to existing problems … all come from the minds of entrepreneurs who ultimately work at startups,” said Jim Templeton, a Silicon Labs alumnus and the

knew some smart engineers you could Jim Templeton Founder and Former Vice President of Marketing, Zilker Labs Vice President of Worldwide Operations, Yarborough Solutions Worldwide

likely put this plan together for making a chip and take it to a venture capitalist and explain it to him and he would be convinced or believed in the hope that if Spring 2017 | 25

he put in five or 10 million dollars he could get 10 or 20 times that back when that company became

“The company usually has one of two goals,

successful,” said Fluke.

which is to go public and basically sell their company to the open market in the form of

Obtaining capital is just the first phase in a cycle

stock, or to sell their company to a bigger

that virtually all startups go through. The next is

company … If [the investors] can see a near

the recruitment of personnel such as marketing

term exit that’s a sure thing to get two or three

specialists or other engineers to roll out a

or four times their money back, they might very

product and gain a source of revenue. This

well take it instead of waiting for the big bet,”

was the case for Templeton, who was originally

said Fluke. “It depends on the circumstances.”

recruited by fluke to join Silicon Labs.

Such was the mindset of the founders and early When a company grows sufficiently large and

employees of Silicon Labs: startups can be an

profitable, it begins to more urgently consider

invigorating environment in which to work, the

what are commonly called exit strategies, plans

driver of innovation in a technological field and a

for, as Tuttle put it, “cash[ing] out” or “selling …

savvy business venture for everyone involved.

interest.” This brings us to the place in the cycle

The true impact of startups may best be

occupied by Silicon Labs at the beginning of our

summarized, however, by an experience of

story. However, releasing company stock to the

Fluke’s while working as vice president of

public is not the only way for people with a stake

business development at Silicon Labs:

in the company to reap the fruits of their labors.

26 | The Austonian Vocation

“There was just one case where [some] of our favorite engineers, Tim and Andy, were eating Vietnamese food across town … and Tim was looking at some little feature that … customers were asking me to put on their chip, and I had asked Tim, and he [had been] thinking about for a week, and he [said,] ‘Hey we could do a whole low speed modem chip if we just follow that thread.’

And I kind of looked at Nav and he [said], ‘We can do that?’ and then this brilliant engineer says how he would do it and he would just get a Linux box and he would write this code and we ask how many guys would you need, and he says just a couple.

That sound[ed] really clever and we trusted him enough that we asked him to go look at it, and if you fast forward three or four years that became at $75-million-revenue product. It drove a lot of profits.

It became the standard chip inside DirecTV or dish network set top box where you plug the phone in when you order movies, and that was …

20 years ago.

But those kind of stories where there was a moment of clarity or risk taking [or] betting … or a challenge or a competitive error or customer demand … At the time it’s … it was this new thing that came up—an idea or overcoming this thread or this trouble, and when it prospers it took. Good thing we all remember those occasions.

We have our little greatest hits list of some of those most amazing moments, and that is what is my favorite thing about it. You get so proud of this place that was small and you helped get through it but what if you work in a company with 5,000 or 10,000 people. Your chance of you being the guy that was really on the hot seat or really sitting at the table when those strokes of brilliance occur, or those pivotal moments … So that’s really—I think—what matters. It’s fun to make the money, but the process of working with people that you respect and enjoy and working as a team together, focus[ing] internally on … making the right product for the customer, [and] ultimately and looking at that success. The reflection back on what were the moments that’s created … is just a pretty special thing.”

Image from iStockphoto.com

Spring 2017 | 27

1995: IBM Research - Austin Established

1954: Geophysical Service Inc. in Dallas Rebrands as Texas Instruments after their invention of the silicon transistor

1948: Applied Research Laboratories established at UT Austin

Other Important Events

28 | The Austonian Vocation

moves headquarters to Austin

2000: Cirrus Logic

2000: Silicon Labs IPO: $99 Million

founded by Crystal alumni in Austin

1999: Cygnal Integrated Technology

1996: Silicon Laboratories

founded by Crystal alumni in Austin

founded by Mostek alumni in Austin

1993: SigtmaTel

1991: Acquired by Cirrus Logic, a Silicon Valley startup

founded by Mostek alumni in Austin

1984: Crystal Semiconductor

2003: Acquired by United Technologies

founded by ARL alumni in Austin

1976: National Instruments

founded by TI alumni in Carrollton, Texas

1969: Mostek

Timeline of Austin Startups

This family tree/timeline showcases both of these (essentially) with context. It displays the origins of many Austin startups, including Silicon Labs (about which the feature is centered), and each event in its progression from a half-dozen with an idea to a full-fledged national or international corporation, including acquisition and IPO, which are touched on in the article.

2010: Intel establishes an Austin office

1995: Phoenix-based Motorola spins off its Semiconductor Products Sector in Austin as Freescale

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Texas Instruments Logo is a trademark of Texas Instruments, National Instruments Logo is a Trademark of National Instruments Corporation, Silicon Labs Logo is a registered trademark of Silicon Laboratories Inc. in the United States and other countries, Cirrus Logic Logo is a trademark of Cirrus Logic, Qualcomm Logo is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries, Intel logo is a trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries, IBM logo is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation in

2013: Acquired by Avago Tecnologies, a Silicon Valley startup based in Singapore

founded by Silicon Labs Alumni in Austin

2014: Acquired by Qualcomm, a Silicon Valley startup based San Diego

founded in Austin

2007: Javelin Semiconductor

2015: Merges with NXP, a Dutch-founded, Austin Based Semiconductor Startup

2015: Rebrands as Vorago

founded as a spinoff of Motorola in Austin

founded by Silicon Labs Alumni in Austin

2006: Evolve IP

2008: Acquired by Intersil Corporation, a Silicon Valley startup based in Singapore

Technologies founded in Austin

2004: Silicon Space

2004: Freescale Semiconductor

2005: Black Sand Technologies

2002: Zilker Labs

founded by Silicon Labs Alumni in Austin 2003: Silicon Labs Acquires Cygnal 2003: SigmaTel IPO: $32 Million

Austonian, adj. /ɒs`toʊniən/ a. adj. Originating from or pertaining to Austin (usually the city in Texas as opposed to alternatives in Minnesota or elsewhere) Cf. AUSTINITE adj.

Vocation, n. /voʊ`keɪʃən/ a. n. A strong predisposition for or calling to a certain profession or occupation b. n. Profession or occupation Cf. CRAFT n., MÉTIER n.