We’ve had to take the vision and present it far and wide to get to where we are today. At the start this meant being incredibly proactive by going to networking events, handing out business cards,5 having follow-up meetings over coffee, putting ourselves forward to talk at events and startup groups and getting in touch with anyone we’d ever met who

What do I expect of others around me on a regular basis? It might be similar to the previous answer, or it might be very different. Thinking about this question and clearly articulating an answer will make it much easier to bring others with you and help avoid frustration.

Most people/founders want to do something they enjoy, earn good money and decide what to do with their time. I genuinely think VC is one of the worst ways to achieve those

I’ve always strongly believed that people do business with people, not companies.

And from there, 9others was born. For those not familiar with 9others, we run dinners with exactly ten people – you and nine others – in which every attendee is asked to give a brief introduction and table their biggest challenge: the answer to the question, ‘What’s keeping you up at night?’ That’s it; one big question, ten potential answers. We

Respond quickly to people you care about. The aim should be immediately, the default within 24 hours.

Boredom aside, if you can’t actually be bothered to send the first 1,000 individual emails introducing people to what you do, then it may not be worth you doing it.

Unreasonable success and how to achieve it: Unlocking the nine secrets of people who changed the world by Richard Koch (2022)

So this is where this book has been leading. Know who you are, know what you’re trying to do and go out there and start talking to people. It will make you tougher, it will make you more determined and it will help you, and your business, improve and grow.