

Ask HN: Do I need a mentor or a business partner? - simonasks

A little background:
I co-founded a company with a friend that became successful without the aid of any investors. We are trying to branch out and try new ideas.<p>The problem:
Unfortunately, we haven't had the pleasure of having any kind of guidance such as the guidance I hear so much about when people are funded by Y Combinator. My co-founder and I are both technical people that have worked for large corporations and haven't really had to think about the business aspects of the industry much, until recently . With some of our new ideas, we are now utterly at a loss on how to handle issues such as preventing launches from being emulated, attaining copyrighted content, whether to raise money through investors, etc.<p>So should I be looking for a mentor or a business partner who knows "business"? Where would I find such a person?
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bradleyjoyce
My advice would be YES! Look for someone who has experience is the industry
you need help with, who's done things you would like to do (ie, raise money
from investors) and is a person you find easy to talk to. You find this person
by meeting and having intelligent conversations with A LOT OF PEOPLE... it
will take time to find the right mentor, so don't give up too quickly. Go to
as many startup "networking" type events that you can, meet as many people as
you can, and follow up with people that you find interesting. People
inherently like getting asked for advice / their opinion, so don't be afraid
to ask that of the interesting people you meet.

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ABR
Network. Seeking a mentor and developing a relationship may lead to further
business connections. Another place to start are university outreach centers
that deliver peer-based educational programs, events, and mentorship to
alumni/students. Here in Chicago, top ranked business universities are a
preeminent resource for entrepreneurs at all stages of their development.

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iuguy
Mentor, yes. Business partner, unless they bring something to the table that
otherwise wouldn't be there and you trust them to the same point as your
existing partner, no.

