I built my company with a partner who I'd only met in person once before we started the company. We'd worked together online for seven years, though, and knew each other very well.
Sure, networking has value, and it's important during the fundraising process...but if your skills are strong in other areas, focus on those. Let your partner do the networking, if you aren't comfortable with it.
Also, don't let the networking urge get too strong. Building a great product is the single most important aspect of starting a company, so don't get distracted by what you're not good at; do what you do better than anyone, and you can find someone to work with who is great at the other stuff.
I'm great at functionality and technical bits but ensuring aesthetics as part of targeting the demographics is making me quickly appreciate the efforts of UX/Graphic designers. However, to come across one without coming across as an exploiter, or to be exploited, or to be guaranteed some effort is something I lack in. So far, most are "interested but can't commit" the rest think it's too risky.
So yes, networking for me is more than seeking funding, it's to seek partners among other things.
Being deaf and not socialising means a lot of setbacks down the line. Think socially awkward misunderstandings.
Comments
Networking doesn't have to be face-to-face.
I built my company with a partner who I'd only met in person once before we started the company. We'd worked together online for seven years, though, and knew each other very well.
Sure, networking has value, and it's important during the fundraising process...but if your skills are strong in other areas, focus on those. Let your partner do the networking, if you aren't comfortable with it.
Also, don't let the networking urge get too strong. Building a great product is the single most important aspect of starting a company, so don't get distracted by what you're not good at; do what you do better than anyone, and you can find someone to work with who is great at the other stuff.
I'm great at functionality and technical bits but ensuring aesthetics as part of targeting the demographics is making me quickly appreciate the efforts of UX/Graphic designers. However, to come across one without coming across as an exploiter, or to be exploited, or to be guaranteed some effort is something I lack in. So far, most are "interested but can't commit" the rest think it's too risky.
So yes, networking for me is more than seeking funding, it's to seek partners among other things.
Being deaf and not socialising means a lot of setbacks down the line. Think socially awkward misunderstandings.