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Most people have a number of small-c connections of varying strength. That's not what I'm talking about. On the other end, there's Connections, which most people don't have. Small-c connections require energy to maintain. They can dry up. Big-C Connections don't, unless you fall into disgrace to a degree that very few powerful people ever will. Big-C Connections mean that people will go out of their way to help you out, in the hope that you'll one day return the favor. Just as there's money (in the sense of the $1.25 I might spend on a cup of coffee) and then there's generational wealth, the same thing exists for (c|C)onnections. Having Real Connections doesn't mean that the VC will fund you. That much is true. It does mean that if you get rejected, you get a sit-down explanation of why, and what to do in the future to get funding, and probably an EIR position. If there's another VC who might be interested, you'll get an introduction. That's what having Real Connections buys you. No, you don't get funded if it doesn't make business sense for the firm to fund you, but you get all the assistance (including an EIR gig in which you can learn what is required to be a "real founder") you need toward getting there... and an unending supply of chances. Without Connections: "We're not interested. Sorry. Our policy is not to discuss our reasons." With Connections: "We like your proposal, but <A>, <B>, and <C> are our issues with it. We also think you need a couple more years of operational experience. Speaking of which, one of our portfolio companies is looking for a <executive-level role> and would like to have it filled by Friday. Can you interview on Thursday?" Most people, of course, don't have kind of safety net. The people in power in society, by and large, don't consider the rest of us to be their social equals. Nobility in the pejorative sense is very much alive in the U.S. If you think otherwise about that set of people, you don't really know them. I do, and they're not nice people and they're not interested in helping out outsiders. They want those doors to stay closed. |
I don't disagree with that at all and I've experienced that behavior.
For me personally I'm happy with what I've achieved and how I am mainly responsible for it and that it wasn't handed to me. I did have advantages of course (I didn't grow up in the projects for example and had parents who were middle class) and I don't think I would be happy if I didn't have to work hard for what I have achieved. (No desire to marry rich or anything like that.)
Not saying you are "whining" by saying this but I don't feel there is anything productive about whining about the advantage that others have. It's a given like memory and hard disk space. Just do the best you can to your benefit given the game and any unfairness. After you achieve your goals you can work toward changing society if you want.