The power of collaboration can inject your startup with new ideas, improve your efficiency with tighter teamwork, and provide you with new resources and connections to leverage in the future.
Very few startup tech companies find success through one individual’s sole efforts. It takes a team, working together through their individual strengths and weaknesses, to produce the best results. As an entrepreneur, you likely know this, and have already taken efforts to build the most compatible, teamwork-driven group you can.
But collaboration should extend beyond your internal team. It’s important to find new connections, with other entrepreneurs, in order to share your experiences and learn from your fellow business creators. When you meet and speak with other entrepreneurs, you’ll find out more about the startup world and more about what you can do to improve your business.
·        Strategies. Other entrepreneurs will be able to share strategies they’ve used that have worked for them in the past, which may or may not improve your current model. There are strategies circulating that you may have never considered.
·        Pitfalls. Entrepreneurship is a road laden with pitfalls. Who better to help you navigate those potential mistakes and challenges than other entrepreneurs on a similar road?
·        Coworkers. Collaborating with another entrepreneur gives you the opportunity to leverage an additional arm of work. If you have a tight deadline or some urgent work that your team cannot handle, consider asking for some additional help from other entrepreneurs you’ve met.
·        Mutual Exchanges. Find other entrepreneurs to exchange services with. For instance, if you’re making a new app, you can offer free downloads to another company’s employees in exchange for a similarly costed service they offer.
·        Other Connections. Of course, meeting entrepreneurs can lead you to an extended branch of other connections and resources.
If you’re unsure where to go to find like-minded entrepreneurs, consider attending a networking event like the one I co-host in Cleveland, an extension of the 1 Million Cups program. These are custom-made to bring entrepreneurs together, and no matter what, you’re bound to find at least one valuable connection if you attend. Startup incubators and accelerators are also great choices if you’re looking to meet new entrepreneurial minds.
