

How To Find a Great Startup Mentor - dennykmiu
http://www.readwriteweb.com/readwritestart/2010/01/how-to-find-a-great-startup-me.php

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dennykmiu
This is a good read for any first-time entrepreneurs who often underestimate
the importance of having mentors. Interestingly my wife asks me the other day
whether or not I am "retired", "on a break", or just waiting for new
opportunities. To which I said I don't know. But what I do know is that I no
longer have the fire in my belly and until I get it back or until I meet
someone who has it, I am just whatever. It turns out that first-time
entrepreneurs also underestimate the importance of having conviction, and how
alluring and contagious that ball-of-fire can be to potential mentors.

Years ago I met an older gentleman who obviously had a lot that I could learn
from and I was excited that he was willing to listen. But he told me that he
was busy and asked that I returned the following week. When I returned, he
said he had studied my presentation and thought that it had potential. More
importantly, he was interested in taking a closer look. Then he tossed my
business card across his desk and said, "If you want me to help you, you need
to change your business card. You are not the VP of Engineering, you are the
CEO. If you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect others to believe in
you? Don’t waste my time if you are not willing to take charge of your dream."

This turns out to my most important lesson in selling, especially about
selling shit that I don't have. As Yoda would say, "Believe in the force or
not believe in the force, there is no try."

