For the last year I have been working on launching an internet startup in Orange County. This has given me the opportunity to explore the ecosystem and develop relationships with other tech leaders in the OC. Overall I have been very impressed with the efforts being made to both create new companies and support them.
If you’re just getting started I would recommend that you attend some of the monthly events from OCTANe, TCVN, or TechBiz Connection. Also, there are some good annual events like the Irvine Entrepreneur Forum and VC in the OC.
The best people to network with are the fellow entrepreneurs (even if they are in a different type of business). Collectively they have likely encountered your problems before and can provide guidance or insider tips that can help save you money and accelerate the process of accomplishing your goals. Sometimes, when things are not going very well, they can be great listeners and allow you to vent.
Overall I would say that we’re pretty lucky here in Orange County to have an environment to create innovative tech companies (and we have great beaches too).
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hello Paul,
This is Paul G. Mobley, from Tempe, Arizona (52 yrs or age). I found your blog through LinkedIn. I too born in California, but grew up and attended school in Arizona. I have been to OC many times in recent years attending conferences, seminars, and men’s group meetings. My background is in manufacturing of semiconductor devices, R&D, QA, EHS, and consulting. I saw that you had contacted PM the photographer, so I thought you wouldn’t mind me dropping you a line to say hello. I have 3 brothers and 3 sons so the Mobley name lives on…
Hope to hear from you. I will be I SoCal (Laguna Beach, and LA County) next week, visiting friends and colleagues. Let me know if you have any interest in meeting.
Paul Mobley