My guess would be that it is harder, especially to get connections like Zuckerberg, if nothing else because he, and others like him, are now quite hard to reach.
That said, getting to know the up-and-coming Valley entrepreneurs should be doable. It is not as easy as getting to know them while you are in college but go to conventions, go to coffee shops, bars. If that is not your thing, start conversations on HN, Twitter, professional communities etc. One important thing to remember, people love to talk about themselves and their business. Especially entrepreneurs.
On a personal level, I am finishing up my Masters (in Amsterdam - so no where close to 'The Valley') and I really feel that I should have done more networking. It is not that hard to get to know people if you make an effort but I have been way too comfortable with my group(s)of friends.
But doesn't a huge part of the problem stem from geography? Like you, i'm finishing up my Masters in Singapore - that is pretty much on the opposite side of the globe as SV. Surely i can't afford to go flying around to SV conferences as a student. I'll be speaking at a few conferences in Europe this summer, but still, i feel that if you are not located at least in the USA, you are missing out on a huge piece of startup action...
Stay in Singapore. Build something for an Asian, or African, market.
Am I the only one who cringes when reading stories like this about the Valley? I do not want to be in a bubble. I do not want to take part in gossip or the popularity contest. I would much rather stay under the radar, out of the sights of competition, in an underserved market.
That is very true, it is unrealistic for us to travel to SV to just socialize. Speaking at conferences seems like a great way to build a reputation and get to meet people. If only I had something to speak about that would interest people... :)
We do miss out a lot of startup action but there are still large startups in Europe, and I assume Singapore. I do think making connections via HN/Twitter etc can mitigate some of the issues caused by geography but not entirely.
Talking to people in your industry (especially if your speciality is quite niche) goes a fairly long way. Perhaps someone in your niche went to your alma mater, or lived in Singapore - that is something in common that can spark a conversation.
I live in San Francisco. Its an awesome city and I love living here, but it is by no means a prerequisite to starting a successful business. People have problems everywhere that need solving.
I'm from NYC and just went to SF for a week. Have to say that most people and knowledge are way more accessible there because there are just so many more startups and so much more talent. Guys like Zuck are hard to reach sure, but within a week we were able to get meetings with a couple well known folks and they actually had interesting things to say. In NYC there are only a handful of large "start-ups".
I would say a better question is, how does someone who grows up poor do this? And/or someone with parents who do not give them access to excellent schooling. And/or currently feels excluded from the industry despite being talented.
This was exactly my big gripe with the story, particularly Swisher's insistence on writing it as "rags to riches" (even using that very well worn cliche verbatim). The fact is, Systrom, like Zuckerberg, was practically guaranteed success in life, starting with his $30k/year prep school. This isn't rags to riches, it's well-off to obscenely rich, or if you prefer, how to go from the 1% to the .1%.
Not that it isn't a story, it sure ain't Horatio Alger, though.
That said, getting to know the up-and-coming Valley entrepreneurs should be doable. It is not as easy as getting to know them while you are in college but go to conventions, go to coffee shops, bars. If that is not your thing, start conversations on HN, Twitter, professional communities etc. One important thing to remember, people love to talk about themselves and their business. Especially entrepreneurs.
On a personal level, I am finishing up my Masters (in Amsterdam - so no where close to 'The Valley') and I really feel that I should have done more networking. It is not that hard to get to know people if you make an effort but I have been way too comfortable with my group(s)of friends.