There are many paths to every destination. For start-ups this is especially true; there is no one right way to success for an untested venture. However, according to entrepreneur Scott Weiss, there are certain steps that a young entrepreneur can take to have a better chance at growing their business. Speaking from his own experience Weiss suggests that rather than going to school or starting your own company right away, actually working at a start-up will give you the most valuable experience. He offers several tips to getting started:

Prepare to Move: Weiss suggests moving to a hub or hotspot for your industry. In the case of tech start-ups, he suggests moving to Silicon Valley. While friends may have a job lined up right out of school, you have to prepare to be unemployed for a while or get a part time job in the mean time.

Research the Options: You want to work at a legitimate start-up, so Weiss suggests looking at venture capital surveys and see which companies have been backed.

Focus: Research and focus on roles you want to play within a start-up. If you are knowledgeable about the differences, it will give you more credibility when you start networking.

Narrow it Down: Narrow your choice down to 20 or 30 companies and make a web of all possible connections. The best way to get an in is to build a referral network, so network with anyone you can think might be of help.

Weiss says that persistence and preparation are the two most important aspects to getting hired by a start-up, and networking with potential referrals is key.

For the full article, see The Path to Starting a Start-Up