The Only Startup Advice that Matters

June 21, 2013

There are plenty of things aspiring entrepreneurs need to learn to beat the odds and be successful, but for Katherine Hague, co-founder and CEO of ShopLocket, one lesson has been more valuable than all the others.

The Only Startup Advice that Matters

Editor’s Note: This guest article by Katherine Hague originally appeared on her blog as “The only piece of startup advice that matters.”
I’ve been given lots of startup advice over the years, read my fair of startup books, and have attended more startup related events than I’d care to admit. But of absolutely everything I’ve learned, there is one piece of advice I’d give aspiring entrepreneurs over everything else.

Build your network before you need it.

We built and launched ShopLocket in four months on a shoestring budget. We may just be getting started but there is no way we could have even be where we are today without without the support of more people than I could possibly name in one blog post.
If your plan is to meet investors, mentors, developers, designers, press and customers after you have an idea — or worse yet, a product — you’re doing it wrong. DO IT NOW.

Here are three reasons why building my network before I needed it proved to be invaluable:

1) I was able to build a team quickly

I went to school for business. Most non-technical founders find it really hard to recruit solid developers, especially on a shoestring budget. Knowing I’d one day start a company, I’ve attended every Rails Pub Nite for the past two years. I taught myself basic Rails and have mentored Ruby classes for Ladies Learning Code. I even worked on contracts with a few local startups. When it came time to find a co-founder and build my team, I already had strong relationships with the people I needed most.

2) We got the advice we needed, when we needed it

Starting a company is an exercise in uncertainty. Having mentors that you can call on for advice and guidance is invaluable. Your network will never include everyone you need to start your company, and you’ll never have all the answers, the important thing is that you know who to call.

3) I had partners that were willing to work on tight timelines

It’s hard to ask someone you just met to work weekends, or stay up till 3am, especially when you have a very limited budget. But friends that care about you and want to see you succeed will be a lot more forgiving. Build up as many karma points as you can while you don’t need anything in return.
Relationships take time to build (and you’ll never be done) but you’ll wish you spent more time building connections before the day comes that you need them the most. If you’re doing it right, and building a kick-ass product, you simply won’t have enough hours in the day.

Don’t know where to start?

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I definitely haven’t figured everything out, and what has worked for me won’t necessarily work for you. But here are some ideas on how you can start building a network that may one day help you build your startup:

  • Work at a startup you admire: Meet like-minded people, gain incredible mentors.
  • Attend local startup events: Online relationships only mean so much.
  • Volunteer on projects that matter to you: Build working relationships and get a reputation for getting things done.
  • Open up a dialogue with some of your favorite bloggers: They might just be the ones to break your first story.
  • Make referrals to other developers and service providers: They will remember.
  • Start bloggingPractice getting your message across, and build up credibility.
  • Email people you think are awesome and tell them as much: Everyone has an ego. You won’t always get a response, but when you do you’ve opened a great line of communication.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking back” — Steve Jobs

What is the most valuable startup advice you ever received?

Founder

<strong>Katherine Hague</strong> is currently the Founder of <a href="http://femalefunders.com">Female Funders</a>. Previously, she was the co-founder and CEO of ecommerce solution <a href="https://www.shoplocket.com/">ShopLocket</a>. She has worked as an independent digital media consultant and in a variety of marketing positions for Toronto-based startups. Connect with her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/katherinehague">@KatherineHague</a>.