Having a mentor is one of the best ways to learn your craft and grow in your profession. For many high level executives it can be hard to find the right person to trust and look up to for advice. Readwrite.com recently published an article where they asked various CTOs how they were able to find the proper guidance along their path to success. Patch of Land's own Brian Fritton was part of the group of entrepreneurs from the YEC who were presented this question. Here are some of their responses:
Past Employers and Vendors
As a startup CTO, I find mentorship through my counterparts at past employers and vendors we use. Oftentimes, these can be transient types of mentorship. But with some reciprocation—they'll usually want advice, too—they can turn into regular relationships, especially if you're currently doing business with a vendor.
I find that these types of conversations turn out to be the best types of mentorship, as they already know what's going on in your head through knowing you from a past gig or already know part of what's going on in your business by being a vendor. Having conversations with these types of people can also have fringe benefits; past employers send you opportunities while vendors give you a heads up on new happenings and breaks on fees if things are tight.
CTOs of Larger Companies
A startup CTO should look to build relationships with CTOs who have worked in that role in a larger business, as well as those who currently serve in that role somewhere. Most of the time they will be more than willing to jump on a call or grab coffee with you. These individuals have a wealth of knowledge, can help you understand how the industry has changed and can offer you more connections and advisers.
—Jason Grill, JGrill Media | Sock 101
Meetup Groups
A lot of startup CTOs and engineers head to meetup groups, especially for their specific technology languages, to find mentors and like-minded developers. People who participate in meetups usually do so because they are genuinely interested in the subjects, which makes it easier to find a passionate mentor.
Meetups also provide a more relaxed environment for networking compared to formal business meetings, so it's a lot easier to make connections that are genuine as well as skills specific.
Click Here to read more responses from the YEC
How important do you think it is to have a trusted advisor or a life coach? Do you have any tips on finding a suitable mentor? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts