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I can't believe that South Carolina has no entrepreneurs or wannabe entrepreneurs who dream of being the next Steve Jobs or starting the next Google or building a company like Amazon. But no matter what I do (going to meetups to meet people, using social networks, etc.) I can't seem to find people who can do more than talk.
And I don't really need much in a partner beyond sweat equity, honesty and a little hard work (not a lot). These should be bare minimums not the most I can expect in others. But the bar or standard seems so low here. No wonder people leave and head for places like Silicon Valley when the South Carolina state government seems more interested in racing to the bottom, selling people's DMV information on the internet, and ignoring the entrepreneurs born in South Carolina while stepping all over them on the way to welcoming outsiders. I even heard a comedian on TV joking about South Carolina's rock bottom education and other statistics.
I could do so much with a partner who could offer encouragement but that seems to be asking too much. When an entrepreneur like me is bursting with ideas for new industries, it would be nice to meet equally pro-entrepreneurship partners. We're not talking about starting a small business like a vending machine route (and I know someone trying to do that). We are talking Inc. 500.
Why it is so hard to connect with entrepreneurs in Rock Hill?
I can't believe that South Carolina has no entrepreneurs or wannabe entrepreneurs who dream of being the next Steve Jobs or starting the next Google or building a company like Amazon. But no matter what I do (going to meetups to meet people, using social networks, etc.) I can't seem to find people who can do more than talk.
The real serious entrepreneurs realized long ago that South Carolina just doesn't have the talent necessary to build the next Google/Apple/Facebook/etc. So they all left for Silicon Valley/New York.
The "entrepreneurs" that are left are the one who like to talk the talk, but don't want to put in the work to walk the walk.
The real serious entrepreneurs realized long ago that South Carolina just doesn't have the talent necessary to build the next Google/Apple/Facebook/etc. So they all left for Silicon Valley/New York.
The "entrepreneurs" that are left are the one who like to talk the talk, but don't want to put in the work to walk the walk.
You are painting with an awfully broad brush stroke.
Broad brush stroke bourne of experience. Hey I love the Carolinas too. I was born here and want to build my business here but if I can't find people, then I will have to go. I can only beat my head against a stone wall so long before I get a headache and say enough!
I am looking for business partner-finding type of site. Partner Up dot com had a lot of Rock Hill and York County people but none of them would respond to emails. And now Google has swallowed up PartnerUp and turned it useless. I had contacts on there that I wanted to follow up on but Google made all that gp away sort of like the MySpace amnesia under new management. And besides, Google is Big Data (like a certain government agency that invades your privacy and was not stopped by the government shut down because they have a budget in the trillions) and I see no rreason to supply my company's proprietary information to a possible competitor -- speaking of Google/Apple/Facebook/etc -- by using their website.
So if anyone knows of good business partner finding site that is not owned by Google, please post it. Particularly sites that have lots of York County people. Thank you.
PS (that means postscript) -- As a South Carolinian, I don't like bashing my state but between seeing our state leaders do so many stupid embarrassing things (I could do a whole website on it) and the need to let off some steam by bashing them . . . well, it is almost a sport or pastime to say one of those Johnny Carson lines: "My state is so stupid." "How stupid is it?" "It is so stupid [fill in the blank]."
Seems to me if you were so good at what you do, then you should have no problem finding people to partner with you. There are plenty of entrepreneurs in this area but maybe this is the wrong market for what you're looking for? There's a reason why all of the big tech guys aren't here.
Try the Rotary Club, Executive Forums, Meetup.Com and if you still can't find what you're looking for I say don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Besides things are so "virtual" nowadays why do you need someone local? Sounds like you're not motivated to put in the extra "sweat equity" that a real entrepreneur has.
Thanks for the definition of "PS", I learned something today
I suggest local start-up and early-stage folks contact David Warner, director of The Technology Incubator at Knowledge Park in downtown Rock Hill. The incubator has been in development several months now.
About: The Technology Incubator @ Knowledge Park assists start up and early stage firms through a combination of hands-on consulting support; resource identification and referral; and, educational and technical assistance.
Mission: The Technology Incubator @ Knowledge Park is seeking people with technology ideas who desire to start a business. In preparation for the opening of the facility, entrepreneurs are being sought to submit their ideas for consideration and advice. Contact David Warner to submit ideas.
Description: The program is designed to support the development and formation of technology companies in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Led by the Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation and the City of Rock Hill, the Technology Incubator operates in association with the Clemson University Technology Villages program. The key advantages of the program are 1) minimal cost to the entrepreneur 2) direct access to community resources and the support of a major research university.
Seems to me if you were so good at what you do, then you should have no problem finding people to partner with you. There are plenty of entrepreneurs in this area but maybe this is the wrong market for what you're looking for? There's a reason why all of the big tech guys aren't here.
Try the Rotary Club, Executive Forums, Meetup.Com and if you still can't find what you're looking for I say don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Besides things are so "virtual" nowadays why do you need someone local? Sounds like you're not motivated to put in the extra "sweat equity" that a real entrepreneur has.
Thanks for the definition of "PS", I learned something today
Hey, you're a senior member so you know what PS means. Harks back to the days of handwritten letters in the post. But never mind my quirky sense of humor. I tried Meetup and still do but groups based in Rock Hill keep going belly up so I have to drive to Charlotte. Rotary I know about. Are Executive Forums some program of The Chamber of Commerce? Or what? Tell me more.
I've decided not to give up on South Carolina or Rock Hill. This is home, warts and all. The rest of my family could not leave town fast enough when they graduated and got married but I am the last in my family still here. So door may not be hitting me since I am not leaving.
One of my projects is biotechnology which at first blush sounds like a fish out of water but you'd be surprised or even shocked at how many biotech startups are in SC. I know I was when I did some digging since the last time I posted.
The other project is space as in astronautics. I grudgingly accept all of your criticism since I have to admit that South Carolina is not the state you think of when you mention companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX or Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic or a few other new space companies. That said, the head of NASA is from SC. Several famous astronauts living and dead are/were from South Carolina. Facilities such as rocket test stands, rocket range (like White Sands in New Mexico), spaceports (that's a whole discussion), wind tunnels (the nearest big one is in Tullahoma Tennessee), physics labs, et cetera are not in great supply in South Carolina. However, I only intend headquarters of company to be here. Operations can be anywhere.
Now to the most important point you made. Things are so virtual today. Why do I need someone local? I HAVE done things virtually but I have reached the limit of what I can do at a distance. Even internet companies have staff that see each other almost every day. Facebook was started by a group of people. Mark Zuckerberg is simply the most famous person at that company. Ditto Twitter. Ditto most of the big tech companies. Very few were started by one person and even the companies that had one founder instead of several co-founders had an indispensable staff. For the record, Charlotte has a lot of internet startups. I run into the founders all the time. But internet people deal in code and I am concerned about tangible things like bending metal and precision work. Even at the tech schools, never mind. I am thinking out loud -- which is what I intended to do. Your criticism is helping me think through a thorny business problem.
But the problem of isolation is not one of laziness as you imply with the sweat comment. Trust me. I work hard. I took a quiz that indicated that I am a workaholic. I've never had a vacation. No the problem is that I cannot relate to a computer. I prefer to work with human beings rather than computer screens. Machines are okay but I make no apology for liking humans.
Thanks American Road Girl. I went to the hyperlinks you posted and I think you earned your wings like in that Jimmy Stewart Christmas movie "It's A Wonderful Life." Please wish me luck!
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broad brush stroke?
Harks back to the days of handwritten letters in the post. But never mind my quirky sense of humor. I tried Meetup and still do but groups based in Rock Hill keep going belly up so I have to drive to Charlotte. Rotary I know about. Are Executive Forums some program of The Chamber of Commerce? Or what? Tell me more.
