Finding the Right Mentor Amidst the Fanfare

Every day, the startup industry is getting crowded as more and more people are creating their digital businesses. In addition to funding, these people are also looking for a mentor, which is usually not easy to find.

"There is always a crowd in the startup industry," said Willson Cuaca, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of East Ventures.

Therefore, these startups must try harder to be able to find the right mentor as a guide to success. Here's what those who agree that the right mentor will help us to survive in the crowd.

Be good to get good

The term “every bird will flock to each other” applies to the relationship between startups and mentors. Takeshi Ebihara, Co-Founder and General Partner of Batavia Incubator, says that “to get a good mentor, you have to be a good founder too.”

"To be honest, mentors tend to help those with potential," he said.

Willson Cuaca, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of East Ventures, added that it is often the mentors who choose startups. "But the process must take place naturally," he said.

Perfect match

Next, startup founders and mentors must share the same vision. Shinta Dhanuwardoyo, CEO of Bubu, said that startups should work with mentors who share the same vision as them. “Mentors should have expertise in the product or platform you are developing,” he says.

Ebihara adds that finding a mentor means breaking up the crowd to focus on just one definite voice. According to him, founders now have a greater opportunity to interact with big entrepreneurs because the number of technology events is increasing. However, listening to too many people can be confusing.

“It is better to choose a mentor or two that you can trust and are close to,” he advises.

Suitable qualifications

Mature entrepreneur. That is one of the requirements that a mentor should have. Shinta said that mentors should be mature entrepreneurs who have worked on a number of successful startups. 'I don't think someone who has just started a company can be a mentor,' he said.

Ebihara likens having the right mentor to having a good personal doctor. “Startup is a pretty tough game to beat, especially emotionally and mentally, over the long term because you have to deal with investors and sometimes, even your own co-founders,” he says.

“Having a mentor is like having a personal doctor who will give you peace of mind in difficult times,” he added.

Trials

All our efforts to find the right mentor will be met with mistakes and shortcomings. “It was a trial and error process,” Willson said.

"That's why the mentor should also invest in the startup," he added, indicating that the mentor's gamble would increase his seriousness in guiding a startup.

Hanifa Ambadar, Co-Founder of Female Daily Network, added that the path to finding a mentor was “full of trials” because at that time there were not many digital experts in Indonesia.

“We are looking for Smart Money. We want someone who not only wants to invest in our startup, but also helps us in networking and give us knowledge," he said. The Female Daily Network has become part of the Endeavor Network, an organization that provides mentoring and access to capital to promising entrepreneurs.

Investigation

Hanifa said that startups should analyze potential mentor candidates and measure their suitability. Finding information about potential mentors can be done through social media. “Through social media, we can find more information about the businesses we admire. And it is through social media that we can follow the movement of the business owner," he said.

After following the movement of these inspiring entrepreneurs, it's time to contact them. “Contact them via Twitter or LinkedIn to invite them to chat over coffee,” he says.

“Most would be willing to spend an hour of their time,” says Hanifa.