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CoFounder @ Outworks > Turning Executive Thoughts into Digestible LinkedIn Content | Speaker | Sales and Marketing Leader | Connector 🤝 | Listener of Books🎧 | Average Golfer⛳️ | Seinfeld Quoter | Family #1
A friend of a friend. That may be the best way to land your startup's first batch of clients. It can be hardest part of the journey. 🛣️ I recently asked David Connors, founder of The Swarm and ex-Sequoia Capital partner, for his advice on this challenge. His answer was simple yet profound: Start with your network. Here’s the breakdown: ✅ Leverage your immediate circle: Map out your team's network—investors, advisors, and even vendors. These are your first allies. ✅ Engage, don't sell: Approach them not with a pitch, but with a request for feedback. Invite them to be part of your journey. ✅ Design partnerships: Begin by offering them value—perhaps as design partners, not paying customers. Build trust before asking for the sale. ✅ Reverse referrals: Once you have those initial customers, don’t just ask for referrals. Do your homework. Identify potential leads in their network and ask for specific introductions. Your network isn’t just your safety net—it’s your launchpad. Use it. #entrepreneurship #toolazyforapodcast #startup