A lot of people have this grand plan that they are going to jump right into the product scene and come out with a $1,000,000 launch by attracting the biggest and baddest partners. That's not generally how it works. Attracting big JV partners is very much about relationship building, which comes with time and exposure. A great way to get this exposure is by getting smaller partners to promote a good product. If the product proves itself, then the larger affiliates will be more willing to jump on board.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting small and working your way up to that million dollar launch.