Often said in business 'You need to get out there and network!' The problem with this statement is it is not that helpful for those who haven't done it before.
Yes, you may have been to a conference or two but if you haven't been in a sales or relationship role previously, networking can be a daunting thing, especially when you're trying to get your new venture off the ground.
Great idea, product or service, you're busy getting going, so adding more to the load isn't that easy to contemplate. Even if you've been in business for a while, you need new/more contacts but you're not sure how or where to spend your time.