[taprun]

I think the biggest mistake people make is not "building their brand." Create a presence online, create one in meatspace and get known as someone worth knowing.

For reference, I took some time off and wrote a book on a technical subject, created two big meetups and got hooked in with the local startup community. Now I go to local events and people are starting to actively seek me out.

[tigershen23]

Sweet - I'd be lucky to accomplish half of that.

Re: networking - do you think age is a factor? In your experience, have these meetups been inviting, or did it take a lot of effort on your part to start making connections?