Will it Take a Natural Disaster for People to Like Silicon Valley Again? (Guest: Susan MacTavish Best)

This is Your Life in Silicon Valley

Susan MacTavish Best is a San Francisco cultural icon. Originally from Scotland and Canada, MacTavish worked in the PR business and got to know some of technology's top executives since the 90s. MacTavish now splits time between San Francisco, New York and London, and has a starkly unique perspective on how life in the Bay Area has changed in recent decades.

Susan talks about her time in San Francisco in the 90s, her move to India, and her view of life in San Francisco vs. New York vs. LA vs. London. Susan is famous for her dinner parties, but we learn that she is surprisingly an introvert.

We ask Susan what it takes to become a cultural figure in San Francisco, and ask her to share some of the prominent guests she's hosted at her house (from Michael Pollan to the Founders of Yelp). 'Salons' are becoming trendy in part because of Susan's influence. We ask Susan how they became a thing, and about her upcoming book wherein Susan will be branded as the 'Marie Kondo' of salons.

We talk to Susan about the growing rift between media and tech's elite, and ask her for her opinion on what it will take to fix San Francisco's PR crisis. Her answer will definitely surprise you, but is absolutely thought provoking.

Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation from one of San Francisco's most beloved cultural figures. You'll listen to the episode and feel like being invited to Susan's house for a salon.