ONLINE BUSSINESS

It is the last full day of Web Mission in San Francisco and after a fantastic Drink Tank party, hosted by Michael and Xochi Birch(the founders of Bebo), I wanted to reflect on what has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Firstly, a huge thank you to the hosts, organisers and sponsors. Oli Barrett and James Lawn from Polecat have worked hard to make the trip a fantastic success. Thank you to Susan MacTavish Best, the Birch's, the British Consulate in San Francisco, Oracle, Orrick, UKTI, G2i, the Technology Strategy Board, Google, Microsoft and the Plug and Play Tech Center for hosting and / or sponsoring elements of the trip.

So what have I learned?

Number one: By some freak of nature, clouds don't form over San Francisco. I have no idea if prevailing meteorological conditions can contribute to an entrepreneur's likelihood of success, but if they can, well, that explains Silicon Valley.

Two: The UK is producing some seriously impressive entrepreneurs. These are not businesses that are yet to work out how to make money. Some of the guys on this trip are running businesses that are making millions of pounds in turnover and highly profitable too. Some are running their second, third, fourth and fifth businesses, and many are under 35. They are very smart, highly motivated and extremely well-connected people.

Three: There's a formula for a Silicon Valley start-up. Billion dollar businesses are not treated as an outlier. They are expected, and seemingly cast from a moulding process that has been refined and perfected over decades. Sure, the chances of success are still small but far less time is lost in the setup process and far more time is spent connecting with communities (of entrepreneurs, investors, prospects and like-minded individuals). It's Plug and Play (as the fantastically impressive Plug and Play Tech Center exemplified).

Four: Ask for help. Ask concisely and ask the right people. It's characteristically British to keep our challenges to ourselves. As a culture, we absorb pressure and internalise our worries and stressors. Here, they network like crazy and then use that network with ruthless efficiency. Keep emails short and to the point (without the waffle) and people will help you out.

Five: Network like crazy. It doesn't always have to be in the energy-sapping way that us Brits network (beer in hand, foot in mouth). Everybody knows everybody out here and one discussion can, and often will, lead to very interesting opportunities. In many ways its a numbers game too. Not every meeting will yield a strategic alliance or major contract but some will.

Six: You need to regularly take time out from running your business. Whether it be for a week to the epicentre of your industry, or merely a long weekend's brainstorming, we all need to look at the big picture without the daily intrusions and challenges of business operations.

Seven: I agree with Mark Prisk, MP for Hertford and Stortford (who is in SF with us), when he says, "...as I watch the news of the US car industry bailout, I can't help but feel that, rather than focusing on older failing sectors, we in politics need to help the next generation to start, grow and prosper". Well said Mark. That's what Web Mission is doing and it's a great start.