Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Insights and Opinions: Startup Mentors
In our Insights and Opinions section, we regularly feature useful advice, opinions, and more from the local community. For this year's first article, we share the advice of Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO of TechEmpower, Founder and CTO of Aggregage and organizer of the LA CTO Forum and Startup Specialist Network, two local groups focused on startups.
I've had several startup CTO consulting sessions recently where it became apparent that the Founder needed help with the business and product as much or more than the technology. I suggested that they should look for someone like me, but on the business end. Then we discussed how they could go about finding this startup business advisor.
Then I got an email that asked:
I'm leading the marketing efforts for an early-stage startup. I recently completed an MBA, which I feel gave me a good basis in the fundamentals of building our brand from the ground up. However, I often wish that I had someone more experienced both in marketing and working in a startup environment that I could go to for advice. Do you have any suggestions for how to find a good mentor?
Great question and I believe that just like finding a technical advisor for your startup is critical, finding a good mentor is critical. (More...)
Read the rest of Tony's advice on Finding A Startup Mentor.