Econ major looking to break into startup culture. Advice?
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Hal Varian wrote an article a while back talking about the importance of statistics. That and Econ might make you a good candidate for the right sort of position. Learning 'R' is apparently a good idea for that sort of direction.
My econ degree is heavily econometric (stats) focused, so I have done a lot of R, Stat, EViews, etc. But I'm having a hard time figuring out how to make those skills applicable...?
Here's the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/technology/06stats.html
I consider myself pretty technically savy - I've built a couple of websites using PHP, rails, etc, but at my experience level anything I code would probably scale terribly. I'm "hacker compatible," but I understand my limitations as a developer.
I have a good sense of design. I can create presentations and pitches. I can network and feel out people. I'm persistent, and I'm not afraid of cold-calling or working 80+ hour weeks.
Ideally, I'd like to tackle everything that the serious hacker won't have time to focus on. However, I'm young, relatively inexperienced, and have no real connections that would make me a compelling "business guy" or "funding guy."
Also, I am debt free but also at basically nil savings. While I don't need much more than basic living costs, I simply can't afford to work for free.
Given my situation, how can I break into the startup scene? Should I be targeting early stage ventures? Companies that are already VC funded? Everyone I talk to is looking for a hacker. Should I stop trying to break in on the business side and focus on honing my hacker skills?
Thanks.