Build relationships, relationships and relationships .. with your customers. Definition of "customers" vary from phase to phase of the startup. If you want to create awareness through media, get to know all the people (customer) who write about social dating. Later if you intend to seek funding, map that space and get to know investors ... so on and so forth. It is always best to build relationships with people when you dont seek something ...
A career change, imo, would be anything that requires a significant amount of 'new' skills though this piece is all about how we should be less dependent on professional occupation