In the early stage of entrepreneur’s startup venture it seems like every opinion matters. However, listening to the wrong people can compromise your clear judgment of the situation and can lead you far from your main idea and purpose. Entrepreneurs should be careful when they choose their startup advisers in order to avoid unnecessary stress, discouragement and confusion. Here are three types of advisers entrepreneurs should avoid along their entrepreneurial path.
People who say “Yes” to everything
Even though your idea might be great, there is always something which your adviser can disagree with or simply to suggest an improvement for. There can be various reasons why the person says “Yes” to everything you suggest – they are not listening, they are not interested or they truly don’t get what you are talking about. Entrepreneurs should avoid taking decisions based only on the opinion of the “always agreed” people, because this can compromise their clear vision and lead to mismatch between the idea and the execution. Nice and friendly comments are easy to get, but all you need from an adviser is a strong point of view and a leading hand.
People who say “No” to everything
When entrepreneurs need advice, they are more likely to listen to people who really understand their point of view and truly want to help them find the solutions for specific problems. People who disagree with all of your actions are not the right people to take advice from. Why, you may wonder? Because in the end you are the one who is running the show and you should be able to listen to your business intuition and follow your business vision. The people who disagree with everything you do probably don’t respect your business approach and this is a sign that they don’t believe in your entrepreneurial skills and the success of your startup. Advisers are people who must be responsive and who can help you find solution for your problems. Make sure that you trust only people who have trust in you.
People with hidden intentions
Along your way to starting your business you will run into many people who have hidden motives when they give you specific advices. Avoid taking advices from people who have personal interest of your actions. Their opinion can be compromised, driven by personal convenience. Know well your advisers before you take their advices as an impartial opinion.
Looking for honest people to take advice from is a difficult task especially in the business world. Everyone is busy and has so much going on, so if they don’t have specific benefit, why would they share their opinions with you? The great leaders and mentors like to teach and share their wisdom and experience. Take advice from people who have managed to succeed in their field and who are willing to help others to achieve success too. People who have specific interest may try to convince you that your decision is right, because it might be best for them.
