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Ray Zinn: Bootstrapping Micrel Through Eight Semiconductor Cycles
Ray Zinn led Micrel Semiconductor for 37 years, making him the longest-serving CEO in Silicon Valley.
Instead of raising venture capital, he bootstrapped the company using bank financing and disciplined growth. Over nearly four decades, Micrel survived eight semiconductor downturns, stayed profitable almost every year, and ultimately created more than $800 million in equity value.
In this conversation, Ray explains the leadership principles behind that endurance — including why founder burnout is usually caused by internal conflict rather than workload, and how companies should prepare for…
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