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Want to Break into Startups or VC?

Quick post for people reading this blog who are interested in breaking into tech startups, venture capital, meeting the key folks in these fields etc. Single most important piece of advice without a doubt: start blogging... asap.

Earlier this year I reached out to Chris Dixon with similar advice on VC, startups, etc. Chris told me I should start to blog about my thoughts. I'd ignored such advice before but it was more impactful coming straight from Chris.

In the few months since I've been blogging I've created as many key relationships with heavy hitters like Chris as I had during the prior few years (a time during which I worked on Sand Hill Road, marketed to Google & Apple, went to b-school, etc). No joke!!

Point of the story is this: having a great background and hustling will always be important. But before I started blogging, I was a guy with a 'resume', not a 'voice'. Where you can differentiate yourself and get mindshare is by creating, thinking, writing, and communicating. Blogging gives anybody a public voice, and truly is ‘21st century networking’... 

12 comments
Apr 28, 2010
Babak Nivi said...
Agreed, with a minor modification. Your blog has to be useful to the audience you want to reach. I know this seems obvious but look at the vast array of not-so-useful VC blogs as an example.
Apr 28, 2010
steve cheney said...
Thanks for pointing that out Nivi... I omitted the obvious and agree with you 100%
Apr 28, 2010
 said...
Yes, and then send submit your posts for publication on SAI! Especially if you are as smart as Steve!
Apr 28, 2010
chris dixon said...
Nivi - agree. but if you can't write something interesting about tech, products, startups etc maybe you aren't really qualified to be in the startup world...? problem with most VC blogs in my view is they are holding so much back... feels inauthentic... same problem with all corporate blogs.
Apr 28, 2010
Gaurav Dadhania liked this post.
Apr 28, 2010
philmichaelson said...
Which audience should your blog target? For web statups, there could be 5 distinct audiences:
-Members/users
-Press
-Partners
-Investors
-Customers/people who pay

Are you saying to start a tech-focused blog to reach tech press & investors?

Apr 28, 2010
venturedan said...
I've seen good and bad in terms of VC blogs, but would agree with the comments above: I suspect the trick is to be both relevant and candid. As one example, I'd mention my partner @bijans, who I think exemplifies both in his (healthcare-oriented) blog: TheBij.com
Apr 28, 2010
 said...
Generally speaking, I completely concur.

However, I don't blog myself, as a matter of principle and personal philosophy. My startup, www.ifwerantheworld.com, turns good intentions into action. We don't have a blog because I believe there is far too much talking in this world and too little doing. I don't blog, I do :) (We deliberately don't have a Facebook fan page for the same reason - we're all about doing, not fanning.)

But that's just the exception that proves the rule... I regularly advise would-be entrepreneurs to blog :) And, it should be said, am a big fan of microblogging via Twitter.

Apr 28, 2010
giffconstable said...
You do need to enjoy writing, and it's usually most authentic if you are writing for yourself as much as anyone else. Also, if you are *doing* a startup, you need to decide whether you should work on your own blog or the company's blog. It's very hard to do two regular blogs.

Suster wrote a good post on this: http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/08/should-you-blog-yes-and-heres-how/

Apr 28, 2010
steve cheney said...
re targeting -

It’s different for everybody. I started writing for myself – deep technology + strategy was my thing. That’s how the first post started… I realized later it was sort of an underserved area

Apr 28, 2010
TRJ42 said...
Any suggestion for a person like me ? undergrad trying to figure out what type of start up I want to found.
Apr 28, 2010
marksbirch said...
Chris - totally concur on the corporate / VC blogs being inauthentic. Blogging should invite opinions, controversy, debate. Most blogs though are really not pushing the limits, thus not much value. I stopped following most blogs outside of the handful that at least attempt to break through these limitations.

Steve - I wish you well with your blog. Keep it interesting and never hold back!

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steve cheney

steve cheney

Engineer with an MBA.

Current entrepreneur.

Former programmer, marketer, investment banker, and vc.

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