The ultimate bootstrapping trait?

Filed in archive Bootstrapper Tips on September 5, 2008

© visulogik


From the legendary Paul Revere to modern "connectors" who become catalysts for change and exchange, author Malcolm Gladwell argues at least part of what causes an idea to spread has to do with those who spread it.

In his book The Tipping Point, Gladwell lays out the parameters for the viral spread of ideas, products and social behavior starting with the smallest group of early adopters and looks at how they eventually work their way into the mainstream.

For the bootstrapper, this kind of spread of awareness about a product or service without the need for big budget marketing is critical.

Traits shared by connectors, according to Gladwell, include
• The cultivation of a wide network of friends and associates
• The ability to unite people from very different worlds using this networking ability
• The ability and willingness, whether conscious or not, to facilitate the exchange of ideas amongst these different worlds
• An interest, whether instinctive or acquired, to find all or most people interesting enough to form a network of relationships with them as opposed to the surprisingly narrow social group most mere mortals enjoy

Whether this connector ability is inherent in all bootstrappers is uncertain, but bootstrap guru Bijoy Goswami believes it is one of the integral parts of the "founding team" of any successful bootstrapping venture.



How large is your social network and what steps can you take to grow it? The success of your next venture may depend upon the answer.