What is a startup mentor?

A startup mentor is a person that gives their time and knowledge to a startup with the sole purpose of improving the startup community and the greater entrepreneurial ecosystem.  A startup mentor doesn't have a contractual obligation to the startup to provide the service and has every right to end the relationship if the value proposition is not significant.  

I don't think there is a shortage of potential or prospective startup mentors.  I do believe there is a shortage of active mentors.  I believe much is lost for want of asking.  I believe many successful business people would be eager to serve as startup mentors if they were simply asked.  There is a way to create events within a startup community that would increase participation from experienced entrepreneurs and help them learn how their expertise is a critical need for economic development.  

People sometimes consider the lines between mentors, advisors, and investors to be blurry.  I think anyone with money and connections can become an investor.  Anyone with connections can become an advisor.  But the real value proposition needed to build a thriving startup community is found in bringing a large number of startup mentors to the table.  These are people that aren't asking for an equity stake in exchange for money or knowledge.  These are people eager to give back to the community.  People that take pride in their town and want to see others succeed.  A great startup mentor answers the call and aligns themselves with entrepreneurs that see a ton of value in the mentor's past experiences.  A great mentorship doesn't need to take up a lot of time and will put the shared knowledge to practical use.  

We can do a lot in this world and most of us know we can't do it alone.  

Learning To Pitch

An essential skill for any entrepreneur is public speaking: learning to convey a message clearly and effectively in various (and sometimes uncomfortable) settings.  

Really, anyone needs to get their personal brand message together in a way that they can explain who they are and what they do in a very concise way.  When given a specified amount of time to explain who you are and what you do, you should be prepared to use that time wisely.  

In the environment of an entrepreneurial ecosystem you will eventually find yourself in a situation where you have less than 30 seconds to make a point.  Sometimes you get a minute and sometimes you get five.  Never will you get an infinite amount of time.  You don't get to stumble through your message and expect positive results.  

So pitch and pitch often.  Practice, and work your way through the message until it's clear and you can convey the message clearly in virtually any setting.  Find an audience that is willing to provide you with critical feedback.  An audience with experience listening to pitches is ideal.  Every successful startup community should have regularly scheduled events that provide a platform for people to pitch ideas.  If you don't have one, start one. 

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

The Kauffman Foundation is beyond awesome for a myriad of reasons, not the least of these is the Kauffman Sketchbook.  

Their Foundation focuses on Education and Entrepreneurship and is at the top of any game around.  Anyone interested in either of these subjects needs to take some time to dig into the foundation, its mission, and what it is doing to influence policy, promote innovation, and make a positive impact in the world around us.   

If you want to get a taste of what they are all about- here's a link to 19 of their Sketchbooks.  You'll get just enough to get you going but what you do with the information is up to you. 

It's time to get going.  The only one stopping you is you.

The 20 Year View

Imagine if all the successful business people in your town felt an inherent obligation to give back to the community as startup mentors and advisors. Imagine if they took their stories into K-12 schools, colleges and universities. 

Long before a young, inexperienced entrepreneur really needs money to accelerate their idea they need knowledge. Anyone trying to get exposure to the world of self-employment needs to spend time listening to the people that came before them and hear the stories of the successes and failures.  

Too often people see successful people and the businesses that have been built to last as something unobtainable to the average person.  This is false.  The earlier we start educating our kids on the vast array of options available to them, the better these future generations will be. A future filled with leaders: the hackers, makers, movers, and shakers. 

What does a startup community need to succeed? One thing is inclusion. That means everyone gets a seat at the table and can join in the conversation. Brad Feld refers to including the entrepreneurial stack in his Boulder Thesis.  In my opinion, that starts with kids. 

Isaac's Idea Book

My 9-year old has been obsessing this weekend over a Rube Goldberg machine.  He gets frustrated when it doesn't work but tinkers and toils along for hours just the same.  If you haven't heard of a Rube Goldberg machine, let's turn to Websters for a definition:

So, belly up to YouTube and watch a few videos on these inventions and then go around the house and fill a box with a bunch of whatever stuff you can find and then help your kid design their own Rube Goldberg machine.  

Isaac's Idea Book is a place for him to document his invention ideas.  After participating in Invent Iowa this past year the interest in finding solutions to problems has become something he is constantly considering.  The engine of creativity, when sparked in a child, is hard to turn off.  I'm a pretty lucky guy to get to witness innovative awesomeness on a regular basis from the comfort of my own home.

Youth Entrepreneurship

A Startup Semester at a small, liberal arts college in Iowa.  In my world, that is awesome news.  Read the article from the Silicon Prairie News here.   If this kind of news excites you, tweet me some enthusiasm. 

I'm a guy that thinks we should be teaching kids to code.  The only thing that approaches my passion for kid coders is college entrepreneurs.  You shouldn't have to attend a major university to get exposed to entrepreneurial skills.  We still live in a world where kids get out of college expecting a long line of employers handing out money for a 3.5 GPA or higher.  But if cash money doesn't fall at your feet you should be ready to create your own job and make your own paycheck.  I'd be happier if my kids grow up to know they have a lot of options.  Far from the least of these is self-employment. 

At the core of The Center of Awesome will be programs to teach kids to code and learn entrepreneurial skills that will help them no matter what they decide to do when they grow up.  If The Center of Awesome can forge partnerships with small colleges across the country to accomplish that goal I think we'll all be better for it.  

Coding 101

Every kid in America should be exposed to coding no later than age 10.  

Imagine what the world will be like in 5-10 years if we start taking our kids' futures seriously and teach coding and engineering in elementary schools.  Stop and think about how ridiculous it is that we are not already doing this.  

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to participate in a business pitch from a few high school students that designed their own app that would have a very positive impact on their community and provide a real service.  I was inspired by what young minds can create when presented with a challenge and the opportunity to solve real world problems.

The barriers to entry into coding are lower than ever.  CoderDojo and KidsRuby make getting started beyond easy.  If we don't see Kids Code Camps popping up in every state by the end of the year, I think we are doing ourselves a huge disservice.  

If you haven't seen the video from some of our time's greatest innovators and creators, I'd suggest the 9-minute video on Code.org.