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...or go to networking events with cold pizza... Harsh. It's bloody hard to feed a few hundred people let alone keep the pizza warm at the same time. /s On a

by Peroni 13y ago

...or go to networking events with cold pizza... Harsh. It's bloody hard to feed a few hundred people let alone keep the pizza warm at the same time. /s On a serious note, the concept that the "good startups" don't go to networking events is categorically untrue. Name any of the top startups in London and I can guarantee you they have a regular, albeit unofficial, presence at most of the usual networking events. Sorry to nitpick but I'm a big advocate of the tech networking scene in London and that minor point bothered me a bit.

georgespencer 13y ago
I maybe phrased that poorly. I don't think it's a defining commonality that good startups don't go to the networking events, but rather that the good startups (as defined by: growing users/revenue/people and taking on funding) are not as defined by networking and hustling as the "not good" ones (by which I mean: pre-product/not growing/not funded). For example, anecdotally, people on my team would much rather work in the office until 7pm and then hang out together than go to a networking event. This is as much by necessity as anything else. When nobody knows who you are, you need to go and meet investors. But I certainly felt that the OP fell into a trap of feeling like it was vital to be doing that, like I did in the early days.
- jackgavigan 13y ago
  I think events (whether they're for "networking" or not) are for more than just meeting investors. Silicon Valley's single critical advantage (and the single most important thing I'd like to see develop here in London) is its collaborative, "Pay It Forward" culture. Relationships and a sense of community are a key part of such a culture, and events (with or without cold pizza) are a key element in community formation and providing opportunities for people to form relationships. Obviously, a startup can choose to avoid such events and focus on execution instead of joining the community. That's not necessarily a bad thing but, as well as not contributing in any way to the community, they risk losing out on the benefits that being part of a wider community can bring.
  - georgespencer 13y ago
    > are for more than just meeting investors I agree, but OP was bitching about not being able to find investment. > SV's single critical advantage Is indisputably the prevalence of capital. Forget the collaborative pay it forward culture. > as well as not contributing in any way to the community, they risk losing out on the benefits that being part of a wider community can bring There are many communities I don't contribute to, and the "startup" community is just one :) And as I said, I believe it has significant drawbacks as well as upsides.

by Peroni 13y ago

georgespencer 13y ago

I maybe phrased that poorly. I don't think it's a defining commonality that good startups don't go to the networking events, but rather that the good startups (as defined by: growing users/revenue/people and taking on funding) are not as defined by networking and hustling as the "not good" ones (by which I mean: pre-product/not growing/not funded). For example, anecdotally, people on my team would much rather work in the office until 7pm and then hang out together than go to a networking event. This is as much by necessity as anything else. When nobody knows who you are, you need to go and meet investors. But I certainly felt that the OP fell into a trap of feeling like it was vital to be doing that, like I did in the early days.

jackgavigan 13y ago
I think events (whether they're for "networking" or not) are for more than just meeting investors. Silicon Valley's single critical advantage (and the single most important thing I'd like to see develop here in London) is its collaborative, "Pay It Forward" culture. Relationships and a sense of community are a key part of such a culture, and events (with or without cold pizza) are a key element in community formation and providing opportunities for people to form relationships. Obviously, a startup can choose to avoid such events and focus on execution instead of joining the community. That's not necessarily a bad thing but, as well as not contributing in any way to the community, they risk losing out on the benefits that being part of a wider community can bring.
- georgespencer 13y ago
  > are for more than just meeting investors I agree, but OP was bitching about not being able to find investment. > SV's single critical advantage Is indisputably the prevalence of capital. Forget the collaborative pay it forward culture. > as well as not contributing in any way to the community, they risk losing out on the benefits that being part of a wider community can bring There are many communities I don't contribute to, and the "startup" community is just one :) And as I said, I believe it has significant drawbacks as well as upsides.