Do tech entrepreneurs need mentorship or trusted advisors?

In a recent conversation with Richard McKeon, our own Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Tahaluf, he said that having trusted advisors has been critical to his own career path to date. 

“When I think about how I’ve navigated the twists and turns of my marketing career so far, I know my journey would look very different without a small, select group of people who consistently deliver when I ask them for their opinion,” he said. 

For tech entrepreneurs, the same can absolutely be true. Having a trusted circle of advisors is different from having a more formal mentor-mentee relationship; it’s a casual, as-and-when approach to seeking advice and opinions. And building that trusted circle can significantly increase your chances of success. 

Who should be in your circle of advisors? 

They should be a small group of people who you trust to give you honest, informed opinions and advice. People you can sense-check ideas with (because you know they’ll tell you if they think you’re making a mistake). 

According to Richard, you need to be confident that they’ve got good instincts, they know you as a person and a professional really well, and they don’t have their own agenda for pushing you in any particular direction. In short, they’re really good at what they do, and they’ve got your best interests at heart. 

All of this adds up to one thing, he said: “Trust.” 

“...having this trusted group of people who I know I can seek counsel from is so important. They can reflect my ideas, doubts and opportunities back at me. They don’t always share the same opinion, and that’s useful too – because I can triangulate my ideas between them and see more clearly through their eyes.” 

Write down three people you trust to give you sound advice 

There’s a good chance you already have a circle of people you rely on to guide your decision-making processes. Ask yourself these questions: 

• Who do I go to when I’m not sure about a decision in my business?
• Who in my network has already achieved something similar to my own goals?
• Who always makes me see my ideas and doubts in a different way?
• Who do I know wouldn’t lie to me, or just say what they thought I wanted to hear?
• Who do I respect in terms of ethics and guiding principles?
• Who has consistently reassured me over the years during moments of self-doubt?

And write down the names that come up. They don’t have to know they’re in your advice circle – but if you know that, you can progress through your career with confidence that you have a decision-making safety net. 

Should you create a circle of advisors instead of seeking a mentor? 

No. The two things aren’t mutually exclusive. 

You can have both – and in fact, it’s good to have both. A mentor can provide a structured approach to acquiring guidance and progressing your career with relevant advice and resources. A circle of advisors does something different; it offers an informal, low-key route to bouncing your ideas around and gaining clarity of thought. 

Ultimately, leaning into the experience and insights of your advisors helps you make better decisions. “If you don’t have people like this already, go and find them,” Richard said; “because you can’t be successful on your own.”