Understand the people ‘in the scene’ most want to be seen.
They show up to most events, they participate in every discussion, they proactively go out and do things that might raise their profiles. Their goal is to get the maximum amount of attention from others in the scene.
But don’t confuse the scene with the space.
The space is everyone interested or working in that sector. They care far less about their reputation and far more about immediate improvement. That improvement might be immediate ideas they can use to save time, money, or effort. They care about the immediate, tangible, support right now.
Often the scene is it’s own disconnected island within the space (or sector). It sucks up far more attention than it will ever deserve. Don’t confuse scene popularity with talent (or even being a good person). There is no correlation between the two. Think of the scene as high-school for adults (even the most famous adults). Lots of egos, lots of jealousy, lots of hot air.
Given the choice, it’s nearly always better to cater to the immediate needs of the space than the whims of the scene. The space is far bigger and more important.
