182 CLEARING THE HURDLES: WOMEN BUILDING HIGH-GROWTH BUSINESSES
well as through individuals. For example, if you attended a well-
known university or were employed by a prestigious firm, you might
gain credibility and access to networks that would otherwise not be
open to you.
Spending Social Capital within a
Network
Entrepreneurs with growth companies can cash in social capital to get
an appointment with potential investors. These decision makers can
provide much more than financial resources. They also have informa-
tion about suppliers, customers, and distributors, and leads on where to
recruit key management personnel or potential partners. Rarely do
investors give an unsolicited business plan the same attention and con-
sideration as one that comes ...