Unboxed

I had another meeting with a mentor today, I spared some time for this, I had couple questions in my mind and I just needed to talk to anyone with more experience

Is not my purpose to complain about the meeting or about related stories but to share some ideas, so that maybe someone out there in similar position may get some insight and hopefully some inspiration to have courage and to break the mold

First of all I’m really grateful to have access to mentors, advisors and other people that share a bit of their time to help local entrepreneurs, feedback and insights have been really appreciated

So, advice session went more or less like this:

We had an appointment by 3pm, but then advisor called to move it to 4:30pm, no problem. Meeting then started late but I was fine with that. I only had one question: whether to start with customer A, team-up with company B or pitch C or eventually gather any suggestion on potential D

Advice was: all of it! but then I questioned if teaming with company B was wise, I saw a risk of just being acquired or absorbed. Then advice was go A! I felt disappointed, as it was actually no advice, plus I didn’t had any feedback about potential D

Then we went to discuss other topics, ended up explaining what is the company and product about. Advice was then I would need a Co-Founder. I explained that I had a Co-Founder, once, it didn’t work for me

Then out of nowhere he explained they only invest in companies already making money and wanting to expand overseas. I think that lost me as as far as I can understand an Angel Investor usually give support to start-ups at the initial moments (not when things are already working). But more important: I never mentioned nor insinuated anything like funding!

Meeting time was over, just in time to get back home without getting stuck in the traffic

So while driving back and later on that evening I realized I just need to unbox – meaning with that do not settle with the canon or standard rules and programs

Most average startups are a team, in their 20s, creating a crazy app for a very specific and sometimes nonexistent problem. Either way they get attention and funding because it fits in the mainstream of things

So OK, I will just do what I love, do what I think is best and follow what feels right every time. Not all cases are the same and looking for general advice may just lead you nowhere or slow you down