How useful is it to attend startup events, versus...actually building a product?
Saw this tweet today (http://bit.ly/2ALHvIp) and I've been torn in my thinking. On one hand, it's easy to get caught up in the 'entrepreneur glamour'. I've had most success when team puts head down and works together well, but have made great connections and networks at events that otherwise would not have happened.
Thoughts? Credit to https://twitter.com/ashevat.
Thanks for posting this here. That tweet got a lot of great responses. 👍
I'm in my 4th year of business and only now starting to go to events. I tried a few local ones a couple of months back. They were good but I didn't meet anyone who could help me grow my business either through insights, their networks or by being potential customers.
I wouldn't call it a waste of time but I've never gone back. 😉
I'm now attending my first big SaaS conference this year (SaaS North in Ottawa, Canada) and am making sure it's worth my while.
Here's how:
#1. I know a lot of my customers will be attending the event
#2. I'm starting to reach out now and develop relationships with key people who will be at the event that I want to meet and talk with
I'm really focusing a lot of my attention to this event as I'll be there for 2 days and can really make some key introductions to people that will help me grow my business.
I now judge events on how well I can meet either my potential customers or key people that can help me grow my business. If neither is going to be at an event, I don't go.
@BenAmesy What's your opinion on the whole topic?
Very similar to yours. If there is an event I must go to, it's because there's someone speaking or attending that I want to hear/meet and I'll do some prep work beforehand.
I am not the eager young techie I used to be. I find myself doing cash flow analysis on the events I do go to, estimating how much they're profiting. Most seem to be doing quite well :)
I like the cash flow analysis @BenAmesy. Never thought to do it that way.
The biggest thing is that many people fail to take into account the cost of attending -- not just the fixed costs (travel, hotel, registration and food) but other costs -- time away from work and energy costs (lack of sleep, effect of travel on your body and its performance etc.).
I also factor in those intangibles too.
Being out of commission for 2 days after an event because I'm jet lagged and exhausted needs serious consideration.
I liked this topic -- thanks for raising it.
good question! we've been so busy lately we've stopped going to a lot of these events... I think it depends on the city. Sometimes it feels more like people "playing house" rather than actually trying to build something