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Comment by xpose2000 | Hacker News Reader

xpose2000

The most interesting part is the meetups section. I just can't fathom that meeting people and listen to them talk about themselves is using my time wisely. As you mentioned, most of them are bullshitters. I feel as though it should be spent improving my product, or writing a blog post about my product.

Is this the wrong way of thinking? I am the only employee. I'm supposed to do what I'm good at, and that's coding... not talking.

Eventually, if my product is good enough, someone has to notice. Right...?

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Yes, someone will notice your product. That someone, by necessity, is someone who knows of your product. So you need to expose people to your product. And ideally, you want this someone to be someone who knows a lot of other people. (A "multiplier". Or "influencer". Or whatever it's called this week)

As an engineer, you might be tempted to call those people "bullshitters", because they talk more than they create. They're not - they have different strengths than you do, that is all. And when you need somebody to talk, you want those people.

And so, knowing them is a good plan. As is, in general, building a network of people you can contact for advice on things you're not good at. This is not about going there and talking. This is about going there and finding people who can complement your strengths. This is about getting feedback on your product. This is about hearing new ideas.

All of that will benefit your product.

Well said. I appreciate that response. :)

Agreed, very well said.

Think of it this way. Who are you creating your product for, yourself or these other people that you're blogging to?

If it's not solely for you, and you do really want to build a good product, then you have to listen to what people say about it. And you can't just close your ears when they stop talking about your product and about themselves and their own problems; to be a good listener you have to listen to all of it.

Retreating into what you're good at is just that: retreating. To make progress in any area you have to get past obstacles, including the ones you create for yourself. In the end, you will never be successful without communicating. And communicating goes both ways.

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