The break room has a fully stocked refrigerator case of pop and other beverages. Shelves are lined with what looks like a lifetime supply of Pop-Tarts and other snacks. The freezer is bulging with frozen pizzas and microwave meals. Successfully recruiting workers in a highly competitive industry requires treating them well, Bhagat said. The snacks also are a handy benefit for people working over lunch or late into the night.
People work very hard and put in long hours.
The mania for anything Internet, and the tech sector's stock market tumble that started in the spring, have taken Austin's tech community on a wild ride. The market gyrations have been like a car wreck on the side of the road that people could not stop staring at as they drove by. When the markets soured for technology ventures this spring, many Austin firms postponed their plans. So far this year, only five have gone public. McIntyre recently spent several days trying to reach a local firm, leaving message after message.