Mentors
Daniel Boone, someone told me, was asked whether he had ever been lost. Being both an entrepreneur and, apparently, a consummate spin doctor, he is said to have replied. "No, I've never been lost; but once I was bewildered for three days."
Ol' Dan'l was out in the woods with no one to provide him fresh information or directions. You may be out in the woods, too; but there is plenty of help around. Will you use it?
In my experience, few people are really interested in other people’s opinions; and almost nobody really wants advice, especially entrepreneurial types. But as good as you are, you can’t possibly know it all. We both know that. You’re reading this, so you’re at least toying with the notion that you might be able to use some assistance.
Who will help you? Mentors, that's who. Mentors are one of the First Four Factors, along with Market, Magic, and Moxie.
Business assistance generally arrives in one of three forms - information, opinion, and advice. Get the information you lack as quickly as possible. Listen to the opinions, even if you disagree with them. Ask for advice, even if you don’t plan to take it.
You can’t do this alone. Get experienced help immediately – lots of it. The very best way to reduce your risk is to run your assumptions and strategies past lots of experienced people.
Of course, then you actually have to pay attention to what they tell you. From time to time, I have found it useful to consider the remote possibility that I might be wrong, or at least mistaken. You might find that useful, too.
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