30 Nov, 2006
The Entrepreneur’s Skill Set - Professional Networks
Posted by: Jason Drohn In: entrepreneur tools
What is more important than a great idea? The people you bounce that idea off of!
The worst idea is the one that is never shared. You might have the beginnings of a great new product, but if it only lives in your mind, what good is it? This is the primary importance of networking. Amazingly enough, there are a lot of people that share your passion! There are also a lot of people that have way more experience than you do. Seek those people out. Use them!
In becoming brutally honest with your own strengths and weaknesses, you have a real good idea of what and who you need in your organization. You also know what your contacts should be good at. For example, you might be a brilliant strategist, but you could be lacking in the area of search engine marketing. Find that individual you need to round the idea out. Discuss ideas. Do a focus group. Do something that will let you COLLECTIVELY find holes in a business concept.
I don’t want you to think information should be freely handed out though. Please use discretion with your ideas. Have people sign non disclosures and non competitive agreements. Make sure the people you bring in are credible and trustworthy. Chances are if a professional isn’t willing to sign a non disclosure, they aren’t worth your time.
From a personal standpoint, I invite non disclosures. I love to hear ideas and build them out. And I want to know that the will-be-founder is comfortable with giving me enough information to completely diagnose the situation. The only way to truly see an idea is be able to approach it from all angles.
Everybody on the planet has a different background and a different way of thinking. A tried and true programmer will approach a new business idea very systematically because that is what they are used to. A web marketer will look at it from the branding side. Each viewpoint adds to the conversation though. Each side will ultimately create value in the idea. It is up to you to collect all of the information and run with it.
The main point is to create innovation through others. The best resource any entrepreneur has is a good network who believes in each other. Once that is formed, the sky is the limit!
Nouveau Riche - billionaires from 1991