

Entrepreneurs: stop networking and showing off and get back to work - BorisBomega
http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2011/03/23/entrepreneurs-stop-networking-and-showing-off-and-get-back-to-work/

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mgkimsal
It's not necessarily _bad_ advice to some people, but the majority of people I
know that are focused on a new project are spending _way_ too much time on
code.

"Just one more javascript function to add..." and so on keeps them from ever
meeting with anyone - potential customers, local like-minded entrepreneurs who
could offer support and introductions to others, etc.

If someone recognizes themselves in this piece as the person who is always
networking/pitching/schmoozing and never working on the
product/project/service at all (tech or customer development), then yes, heed
the advice. Otherwise, simply strive for a balance. But... don't fall for the
"it's gotta be perfect in my eyes before I show anyone" (or even "it's gotta
be or look really nice before _anyone_ can see it"). Just... show it around.

While it's true first impressions count, after you show someone, there's
millions or billions of others to make a new first impression on later with an
improved system/service/product. But you won't know how best to improve it
without getting the feedback from initial showings.

~~~
wheels
I think the point is that networking events aren't usually chock-full of
potential customers. They're often an early-adopter circle-jerk and unless
your customers are early adopters, you get diminishing returns on such things.

You need to build up a network, and so getting out and pitching to folks is a
necessity early on, but remember that networking events are mostly just
practice for pitching to the people who actually matter.

I'd suggest also that a lot of people are convinced that their target
customers are early adopters because it's easier to imagine that their
customers are like themselves. This is often wrong, sometimes dangerously so.
Do some soul-searching (Are these _really_ the people that are most likely to
give us money? Do they even _have_ any money? How much?) if you find yourself
in that spot.

There are a lot of "entrepreneurs" that get caught up in the social aspects of
being an entrepreneur without actually going out and getting traction on their
business. It turns into an ugly form of cargo-cultism quickly.

------
jedsmith
Not going to criticize the advice, since I think there's a point to it. I will
take issue with this, though:

> The three hours spent at a networking event could also be invested in
> emailing your customers

Please, no, entrepreneurs. Don't consider e-mail a magic customer builder. I
dropped Twilio like a bad habit after their community manager e-mailed me
three templates in as many weeks, reminding me that I had signed up for an
account; I was developing something using their service, and instantly shelved
the project once these started to roll in:

 _I’d like to introduce myself, I'm Danielle, Twilio's Community Manager, and
I'm here to help out with any questions you may have_

 _I wanted to drop a note to see how your experience with Twilio has been
going._

 _Danielle here, I wanted to share a few more Twilio tips and tricks with
you._

I'm all for an occasional e-mail or two, but when your company is in my inbox
once a week, that's too much. That's not developing a relationship with me,
that's trying desperately to keep me interested in your service. Find better
ways to develop relationships with your customers aside from e-mail.

~~~
nhebb
I think reasoning like this assumes that our potential customers are like us.
I look at my inbox vs. my wife's and realize that not everyone dislikes
getting tips, newsletters, promos and every other piece of junk mail under the
sun. She loves getting that stuff. It's just bytes on the hard drive, and she
doesn't care about that. I know I'm leaving money on the table my not having
an email campaign, so it's one thing I'm vowing to change. Sure, you might
lose a few people, but in the long run you'll gain more.

~~~
jedsmith
Good point. Putting aside the tech persona and wearing the shoes of the less-
technical is a challenge.

------
brlewis
TNW probably encounters a lot of people who do more pitching than working.
They hardly ever hear from people who do too much working and not enough
pitching. It's my impression that HN has more of the latter. This article is
terrible advice for them.

More generally applicable advice is the "rule of thirds" described in the
middle of Chris Brogan's blog post that I just submitted:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2359099>

~~~
bfe
True, the author, as a target of the over-schmoozers, inevitably has a big
sampling bias.

------
hp
How many companies have this problem? The most common problem in projects I've
worked on has been the _lack_ of someone getting the word out. As a developer,
a number one thing I'd be looking for in a cofounder would be someone who can
network and publicize - and make a good impression while doing so!

It's tempting to say that you can ignore within-tech-industry networking and
only talk to customers, but ... it's pretty important in a lot of situations
(funding, partnerships, serendipity, hiring) that the tech community has heard
of your company. And they can be some of your first customers, too, in a lot
of cases, since they're interested in trying new things for their own sake.
And you can get advice. And find employees.

I bet most tech companies need to network more in addition to talking to
customers more. Coding is what comes naturally...

------
AlexC04
The job is solitary enough already. The breaks fromt he work keep me from
breaking entirely.

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mbesto
> "So stop networking, showing off and prancing around and start attracting
> customers and make some money."

> "The pitching, networking and attention from the press is all nice and can
> help your business. But be careful not to lose yourself in it."

It WILL help your business. The title of this article is a bit harsh and
doesn't match the overall point: "But be careful not to lose yourself in it."

------
amitraman1
I spent a year or so networking heavily. I was a freelance developer hoping to
meet businesses to work with.

I did not get the results I hope for. The networking events were parties not
business events. People just stood around, drank and aired out.

My current conclusion, especially for freelancers, is to invest your earnings
back into raising your profile. Write a blog, travel to customer sites.

------
vippi
Networking does not mean that you have coffee with someone, connect with them
on linkedin and forget about it. Networking is when you meet with people who
can generate value for you. In exchange you generate value for them.

Value in terms of advise from folks who have done "it" before or meeting with
people who you think would make a good team member. Someone has to do this and
in my views it is a must. There is a ton a knowledge, support, learning that
you can get from these folks. In the end any company or product is a
reflection of people who worked on it so why not start early.

As a founder, IMO, networking is crucial and it is a good learning exercise to
manage hundreds of things in limited time, which will become crucial when you
start seeing traction.

------
hanifvirani
In my experience as a solo developer, I have found that talking to others
keeps me motivated and makes me work harder on my projects. I also get access
to a different perspective which is always valuable.

------
mapster
To each their own. Some people love the social aspect of their profession, and
possibly earn less than if they spent more time in sales than in shmoozing
with peers, but isn't that the point of working for yourself, doing what you
want/having fun/earning a living?

Every profession has people who profess to be successful w/o a track record,
and sell themselves more than they sell anything of value. This certainly is
annoying, but its their life.

------
mncolinlee
Scouting matters and so does pitching.

I have received great advice and mentoring that I never would have found if I
had not spent some time driving under the "great white circle that burns us"
to meet with the public. I also found great contacts who will develop art and
other specialties I could not easily create myself. That is unless stick
figures become chic in site design.

------
dclaysmith
With SXSW and YC Demo Days just over, it's high season for startup marketing.
For those YC companies who manage to get some financing out of their Demo Day
presentation, I'd say they'll be back to work (and harder than ever) pretty
soon.

------
larrik
He missed one important thing: networking can be extremely important when it
comes time to start hiring employees. Not EVERYTHING is directly about the
customer.

------
haploid
I'm really astounded by some of the comments here, almost as if I was browsing
the TechCrunch echo chamber. This is certainly _not_ bad advice.

The ratio of "we just got funded" to "we actually developed a valuable
product" stories I see in the tech press is getting to astronomical levels. I
view this piece as being in response to this trend that really ought to be
clear to anybody.

When the bubble pops, having a working, profitable product will be far nicer
than having a contact list stuffed full of VC contacts that are now( post-
bubble ) scared shitless of doing any deals for any valuation whatsoever.

Then again, pg says there's no bubble, so disregard this and party on. It's
different this time.

~~~
nadam
"The ratio of "we just got funded" to "we actually developed a valuable
product" stories I see in the tech press is getting to astronomical levels."

In the tech press. But amongst all enterpreneurs it is still quite low. For
example no one would fund me, the noname hacker without a working product I
can tell you that for sure. As I've browsed angel's profiles I saw that a
working product with some customer/user traction seemed to be the absolute
minimum for most of them to consider funding a startup. (I've seen something
like 'social proof' in those angel-application forms, which may change things
for some people, but not for me.)

