[sarwechshar]

I don't know...I think they're still very different. "Who you know" can apply to any situation (particularly Wall Street) where having a contact in a network will allow you access into that network.

But at least in Silicon Valley, if you can prove you're valuable to others (Silicon Valley "members"/hackers/users of your product or service) then that's still the best way to stay competitive. And it doesn't matter who you know because if someone else has an inherently better product/company out there that's competing with you and gaining users, they'll win. With Wall Street, I agree, competition is predicated on the friends and contacts you have.

That's just my 2 cents though - unless I misunderstood your point.