When the Future Space virtual advisory_space programme was launched last year I jumped at the chance to get involved – knowing how important external support is for early stage businesses – often run by small teams, if not solo founders, with deep experience in their field, but with gaps in their business knowledge which in the early stages cannot be easily filled by hiring people or engaging with often expensive professional services firms and consultants.
One of the common things I hear back from founders is that ‘it’s just good to have someone else to bounce ideas off’. Mentoring for me is mostly not about providing direct advice (although that does happen), more often than not it’s just providing a safe space for founders to chat through their issues and come to their own conclusions. Founders ‘don’t know what they don’t know’ simply because they have not faced some of the problems that running your own business throws up – so being involved in a community such
as Future Space provides a cohort of other founders in a similar stage, who as a collective can usually solve each others problems, or know someone who can, or can be introduced to someone who can via things like the advisory_space programme.
“The value brought from having a good network has never been more important”
When my wife and I became pregnant we went to NCT classes, and I’m very glad we did, with friends made there which will last a lifetime. I’ve often equated a good start-up community with NCT classes, but for your business – it doesn’t give you all the answers, but simply knowing that you’re not alone, and that you have other founders you can call on when times are tough is hugely valuable in it’s own right. Not to mention the inevitable strategic partnerships which can directly benefit your business.
