Contacts/access/name are useless if that's the primary skill someone brings. If you are an intelligent engineer, a few months in the Bay Area will get you contacts with investors. A great product will also get you contacts and access.
Domain knowledge is useful, however (i.e. a lawyer at a startup doing online legal documents).
I wouldn't put too much weight on general contacts/access/name either but if they are relevant to the domain and will have access to the target market and publicity in the target market it is worth something. I'm thinking a real leader in the relevant field (not technology start ups but your target market) and even in that case value will depend on the situation.
Comments
Contacts/access/name are useless if that's the primary skill someone brings. If you are an intelligent engineer, a few months in the Bay Area will get you contacts with investors. A great product will also get you contacts and access.
Domain knowledge is useful, however (i.e. a lawyer at a startup doing online legal documents).
I wouldn't put too much weight on general contacts/access/name either but if they are relevant to the domain and will have access to the target market and publicity in the target market it is worth something. I'm thinking a real leader in the relevant field (not technology start ups but your target market) and even in that case value will depend on the situation.
Contacts/access/name is about more than investors, in some industries that's what you need to reach customers or suppliers.
I put that under "domain expertise."