I’ve been putting all of my time into Contactually. I’m hesitant to state that we’re “killing it” “crushing it” or “doing really well” as, while we are certainly trending upwards on everything that matters, every day is an intense battle amidst a sea of rejection.
Due to that, I’ve scaled back my involvement and presence in the DC startup community. Other than still co-running the meetup (which Peter really does the lions share of work for), responding to e-mails on ProudlyMadeInDC, and responding to press interviews, I’m in a passive state.
Why? The best thing I can do to help grow the DC startup ecosystem is for my own venture to knock it out of the park.
I’m a member of a number of online groups devoted to the regional tech community, and, like most online water coolers, it’s always trended negative. Lots of discussions about what’s missing. Discussing and regurgitating link fodder from blogs.
What’s missing from pretty much all of these conversations? Startup founders.
You’re either part of the problem, or part of the solution. The solution will never be made on a twitter exchange, Facebook group, or panel. In my opinion, a startup community is built on the backs of hard working entrepreneurs, sleepless engineers, and experienced investors.
Heads down, keep pushing.
