

Ask HN: MentorHour - What do you think about my idea - Omnipresent

<i></i>Pitch<i></i>:
MentorHour lets well-known &#38; experienced mentors lay out a definite path for learners to follow towards gaining knowledge.<p>I've heard of many people who prefer a "classroom like" structure while learning something new rather than googling for articles/tutorials on the topic.  So I envision a place where Mentors can start hourly sessions/courses teaching the protege's that follow them about any topic.  The course/sessions can involve exercises/assignments that the students can do.<p><i></i>Business Model<i></i>: 
Sessions/Courses can be free or paid.  Site takes x% out of the final sale of the mentor<p><i></i>How is it different than,say, skillshare?<i></i> : 
  Doesn't let just anyone teach a course
  Everything is in the site. Doesn't require students to go to a specific address<p><i></i>Why should people participate<i></i> : 
Build street cred
Earn money (Mentor)
Learners can stop worrying about tutorials on the topic and just concentrate on the material presented by the mentor<p>What do you think about this idea? I understand the biggest problem will be to attract well known people in different fields.  From top of my head I am thinking about authenticating people from SO with reputation of above (X).  As the idea unfolds, I'd have to gain knowledge about other areas and known people from those areas.
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Slmnhq
Several issues that I would like to highlight:

Skillshare is just one competitor - there are several startups doing similar
things. Do more research about competitive landscape.

Furthermore, you will also be competing with not-for-profits (khanacademy) and
institutions (MIT Open Courseware, StanfordU on iTunes, etc) which offer free
knowledge. Free is hard to beat.

Lack of a laser-focus: define a niche market of 'learners' seeking a
particular kind of knowledge.

Lack of a value proposition: Read your pitch and ask yourself 'So What?'.
Repeat as many times as necessary to refine your pitch until it resonates with
your audience immediately.

If your idea is going to be built around attracting celebrity mentors or
subject matter / industry experts then that's a very big challenge. What's
your plan of attack for that?

I could go on, but I hope you get the point that what you are describing is a
generic idea. You need to spend more time researching and refining it before
anybody could provide you with any meaningful feedback about pursuing it as a
business venture.

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jwilberding
I like the general idea, however I would consider focusing it more on being a
brainstorming session rather than a lecture. As a Ph.D. student, all my
interesting conversations have been with my advisor and other faculty, usually
over beers or some other informal setting. I generally don't get inspired
during lectures. They are more or less to develop a base of knowledge, not to
generate ideas.

It is also a chance to informally reinforce or learn new concepts about
specific points of your ideas while you are discussing them back and forth.

To me, that is what a mentor does. Not help you understand a tutorial or what
not.

~~~
Omnipresent
Hmm I like that. Burden can put more on the learner mentors can pitch in or
requested as required by the learner.

