It's very difficult to bootstrap a startup. It's even more difficult to work or partner with a large company. When I chat with CEOs and marketing guys of any startup, I ask how much of their marketing is attributed to working with other partners. The answers have ranged from 5%-85%. All startups agree that its often difficult and painstakingly slow working with these big companies, but it's a necessary part of their marketing plan. The upcoming event, "Partering with Gorillas" by Dealmaker Media brings together influential people from several startups and large companies. (Google, Microsoft, SAP, etc...)

Most conference and event tickets range from $400-$3,500. This two hour event is pretty fairly priced at $60 for non-members. Hope to see you there!

Jessica Mah is a 17 year old entrepreneur, blogger, and sophomore in college. She's currently the founder of a startup, managing editor at Startupism.com and Jessicamah.com.