[dpezely]

The combined professional network of founders and initial investors can minimize impact and effects of many factors discussed in other comments here.

"If you need to make a single cold call in the first 2-3 years, consider your network might be insufficient."

Such cold calls would include finding: co-founders, investors, customers, service providers, manufacturers, employees, etc.

Mind you-- I got this wrong in my own startup that didn't survive. Having advised founders and non-tech entrepreneurs in Seattle, SF and Vancouver and of those who heeded the advice, they succeeded where I didn't. E.g., when I had a co-founder flake on me, my network was insufficient to have another person I could trust to step in as subject matter advisor. Not that I would have expected that advisor to write code but perhaps to guide me through the principles of the niche topic such that I could then find the right contractor or employee.

Likewise, for some businesses including certain SaaS: picking your first customers carefully often requires a chain of trust in both directions; i.e., your network.