Comments on: Finding Mentors and Advisors http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/ A blog about our thoughts on entrepreneurship, teamwork, our services, the Web and anything we find interesting. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:27:46 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike McDerment http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/comment-page-1/#comment-45630 Mike McDerment Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:24:45 +0000 http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/#comment-45630 John - conferences = genius. Great call and thanks for chiming in. John – conferences = genius. Great call and thanks for chiming in.

]]> By: John Tan http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/comment-page-1/#comment-45629 John Tan Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:54:34 +0000 http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/#comment-45629 I agree totally. Conferences is a great place to find an advisor and mentor. I run a web 2.0 game development / operation company startup and I must say that the advisor and mentor that I recently has definitely contributed to the operation. My mentor and advisor are not from my country and we only communicate through e-mail. I plan to visit them both when I can (budget and opportunity). Allow your advisor to participate in employee option schemes when your startup goes for a successful Exit or makes a decent amount of profit. I think what you said about being persistent and following up after months is also spot on. It took half a year before one of my mentors agreed. But once he agrees, it has helped me tremendously. On my own, I failed to realize the importance of many of his suggestions (many of these not listed on entrepreneurship textbooks, magazines and blogs). If your advisor (or potential) is an executive working for an organization (especially multinationals), you might have to write a semi-formal engagement letter. E-mail me (johntan@quasr.com) if you need a semi-formal letter for engaging an advisor. Btw, FreshBooks is fantastic. I am on trial now but am certain to upgrade next month. I agree totally. Conferences is a great place to find an advisor and mentor. I run a web 2.0 game development / operation company startup and I must say that the advisor and mentor that I recently has definitely contributed to the operation.

My mentor and advisor are not from my country and we only communicate through e-mail. I plan to visit them both when I can (budget and opportunity).

Allow your advisor to participate in employee option schemes when your startup goes for a successful Exit or makes a decent amount of profit.

I think what you said about being persistent and following up after months is also spot on. It took half a year before one of my mentors agreed. But once he agrees, it has helped me tremendously. On my own, I failed to realize the importance of many of his suggestions (many of these not listed on entrepreneurship textbooks, magazines and blogs).

If your advisor (or potential) is an executive working for an organization (especially multinationals), you might have to write a semi-formal engagement letter. E-mail me (johntan@quasr.com) if you need a semi-formal letter for engaging an advisor.

Btw, FreshBooks is fantastic. I am on trial now but am certain to upgrade next month.

]]> By: Mike McDerment http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/comment-page-1/#comment-45600 Mike McDerment Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:09:20 +0000 http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/#comment-45600 Hey Linda - thanks for chiming in :) Hey Linda – thanks for chiming in :)

]]> By: Linda M. Lopeke http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/comment-page-1/#comment-45596 Linda M. Lopeke Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:37:02 +0000 http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2007/10/09/finding-advisots-and-mentors/#comment-45596 As a professional mentor, I can assure your readers your suggestions are bang on. The most important one being, when working with your mentor, tell them the truth. If you can't be honest with them, they can't help you. And you are wasting their time -- very disrespectful. I don't judge my students on the basis of their problems but rather on their willingness to stop kidding themselves about what they are. That's when we make real progress! Linda M. Lopeke http://www.smartstartcoach.com SMARTSTART: Success-to-go for people working@the speed of life! As a professional mentor, I can assure your readers your suggestions are bang on. The most important one being, when working with your mentor, tell them the truth. If you can’t be honest with them, they can’t help you. And you are wasting their time — very disrespectful. I don’t judge my students on the basis of their problems but rather on their willingness to stop kidding themselves about what they are. That’s when we make real progress!

Linda M. Lopeke
http://www.smartstartcoach.com
SMARTSTART: Success-to-go for people working@the speed of life!

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