Social Networking: Has anything REALLY changed??

:::lets go back, waaaay back:::

When we first decided we were going to move forward with our idea, ES, and try and take it to market - I immediately plowed the internet looking for networks, message boards and places where other "budding" entrepreneurs shared their tips, tricks, questions, successes and failures. Ya know - something like www.entrepreneurforum.com where people asked viable questions like the importance and use of a trademark/copyright, successful and unsuccessful approaches when trying to partner with larger firms (being the small gal) etc.

What I quickly came to realize was that the above didn't exist online for ONE reason - because those who were seriously pushing thorugh ideas - who weren't writing posts about blogging for business and complaining about having the drive for business but no ideas were out there DOING. CREATING their businesses. MAKING mistakes. GENERATING ideas. And it's funny that it took me so long to realize this.

And that to tap into these circles requires OFFLINE exposure. There is no secret website for internet entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs, black entrepreneurs or Jewish entrepreneurs. There is no place where you can find the heads of Digg.com (Kevin definitely ain't cruising the net for "entrepreneur friends"), Meetro.com, Spongecell.com and other "web 2.0" startups, all in one place. And when you really think about it - why would their be?! HAHA...they don't need a virtual space - they have a real space, and it's called Silicon Valley. Seriously though, these folks, and folks like them, and folks trying to emulate the successes of MySpace, YouTube, Bebo, FaceBook aren't online asking questions. Their out, making mistakes - failing miserably, learning and moving on. And it sounds like such a cliche.

Yoda Says: "You learn by doing".

Ironically, "Web 2.0" is largely driven by Social Networking - websites dedicated to bring folks, their friends and friends of their friends together - and bragging about it (I got 267 peeps in my network, SUCKA!!). The essence of social network is bringing folks together. And yet, in many avenues (venture capital and entrepreneurship being one of MANY) the best way to go about making connections is still offline.

I can't help but wonder...

:::Sex and the City Moment:::

Is "Social Networking" even networking at all, or just another attempt at helping us feel less-lonely?