Recommended Reading: Picking The Right Advisor for Your Startup

Some great tips for startups on How To Survive Your First Year: Picking The Right Advisor

Prepare for your meetings preferably with a list of questions

First, find successful, independent advisors who have achieved what you want to. Whether they have bootstrapped a small business to profitability, scaled a business to serve customers around the world or have been acquired by a conglomerate, they are worth talking to. Instead of asking to ‘pick their brain’, prepare for your meetings like you would prepare for a presentation to potential investors. You will be surprised at the results – advisors are very helpful when you value their time, ask targeted questions and follow up with them.

You may not like what you hear (as advise). Don’t be defensive, listen to the point of view and try to understand the context in which the advice is given.

The ‘right’ advice will make you feel uncomfortable, move you to action and potentially, change the course of your life.

A great advisor helps you focus on understanding what matters most, even when in retrospect, it seems like very simple advice.

Think about the advice before you start acting on it. Understand that:

Not every piece of advice is a pearl of wisdom.