They
say Rome wasn’t built in a day. The same is true for Silicon Valley. There is
no tried and true blueprint for creating a startup community. It’s a
trial and error process that takes both commitment and patience. To have a
community as strong as Silicon Valley is the ultimate goal for dreamers and
doers all over the world. It is not an unattainable goal. It takes the perfect
mix of inspiration, initiative, and tenacity to get the ball. In the famous
words of Walt Disney, “the way to get started is to quit talking and begin
doing.”
Encourage and Inspire
Maybe
your city already has a foundation built upon which entrepreneurial growth can
prosper. But what’s the next step? Now you need to raise awareness in the
community and attract the attention of your fellow entrepreneurs. Make a
serious effort to encourage and inspire. Lead by example. Put yourself out
there and let others know what you’re doing and what your goal is...the support
will follow.
Hosting
an event is the perfect way to gather these like-minded individuals. Whether it
be a conference, a meet-up, or
a happy hour, the result will be the same. It will get people talking. Create a
buzz about what your city is doing to foster startup growth. Let it be known
that you are making moves and achieving progress. These gatherings will
undoubtedly aid in inspiring others to follow your example. They will help to
create a true community environment amongst those brave enough to take the
entrepreneurial road.
Come Together
While
hosting events successfully brings together entrepreneurs and gets them
talking, it is essential to take the next step and start the collaboration
process. One way to do this is to form a startup hub. Bring people together on
a more consistent basis. Coworking spaces are the
most effective way to embrace the community aspect of startups. They allow for
like-minded individuals to come together each and every day. Sharing
experiences, successes, and failures with your fellow coworkers is a surefire
way to gain invaluable knowledge. These spaces are especially important in
newer entrepreneurial communities. It’s a community within a community and
will, without a doubt, help to attract more entrepreneurs. Before you know it,
your city will have a stronger startup presence.
Get Digital
In
order to put your startup community on the map, it is crucial that you
establish an online presence. You need
to reach outside of your community to raise awareness of your efforts. Let the
entire world know what is unique about your community, promote what you’re
building and gain the attention of other startup communities. Make it
impossible to ignore the activity and buzz surrounding your city.
Start
a blog, make posts often and
make them enticing. Attract readers from across the nation and keep them coming
back to see what you are up to, what new events you have planned and what
progress you are making. Don’t underestimate the value of Facebook and Twitter.
Once you’ve established a presence on these sites, you will be connected to
many influential individuals and companies. Keep tabs on what these
movers-and-shakers are doing, learn from them, let yourself be inspired by what
they’ve built. It’s an arena for knowledge and growth.
It
is also important to follow what the key players in Silicon Valley and New York
are doing. Maybe there is a particularly successful individual you admire. If
so, follow his or her tweets. They might be willing to meet with you, attend a meet-up
you have planned, or speak at an upcoming event. Entrepreneurs love sharing
what they have learned on their startup adventure and if you establish your
community as one on the rise, you can garner the attention of seasoned
entrepreneurs who are willing to lend their knowledge. Go digital and get watch
your community grow.
We’ve
established that Silicon Valley was not an overnight accomplishment. It took
years to build what they have. As you begin fostering startup growth in your
own community, remember to be patient. It’s a golden quality, especially when
trying to build something much bigger than yourself. Don’t compare your city to
the mega hubs (i.e. San Francisco, Boston and Austin), be inspired by them and
learn from what they’ve successfully built. Keep in mind your reasons for
establishing your startup community, don’t forget the advantages it will bring
to your city – the job creation
it will provide, the economic growth it will inspire and the support and
encouragement of others on the same journey. Start with small steps and before
you know it you and your community will be making big strides.
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