Silicon Smokers: Meet the tech founders who think that cigarettes are their edge
Some tech founders and engineers are embracing cigarette smoking as a social tool and a way to take breaks from the high-pressure startup environment. While smoking rates have declined significantly in the US, this counterculture views the habit as a way to build personal connections and manage stress.
Why it matters
It illustrates a shift in workplace culture within the tech industry, where traditional health norms are being challenged by the desire for social networking and stress relief.
David Butow/Corbis via Getty Images Stephen Campbell knows the cigarettes didn't land him one of his biggest deals, but they certainly lit the match. The cofounder of the startup Revamp AI was in Shenzhen, meeting with what he calls an "enormous" Chinese tech company. (He's under NDA with them.) The initial meeting was stressful, especially because of the language barrier, he says. Then came Chinese barbecue, rounds of Baijiu , and countless cigarettes. It took the relationship from vendor-customer to something more personal, says the 27-year-old. They made their way to a cocktail bar (where they smoked), and then a KTV karaoke bar (where they smoked). "By the end of the night, it's us and our prospects ripping cigs in the karaoke lounge," Campbell says. "We're belting out Oasis, because that was their favorite band." Campbell knows that cigarettes are bad for you.
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