The Dangers of Startup Founders Over-Relying on Mentors

As a serial mentor to startup founders, I've seen firsthand how over-relying on a mentor's guidance can foster unhealthy dependencies and impede innovation. In this video, I share examples of startups like Juicero, Theranos and others that leaned too heavily on brand name mentors, leading to stagnation and failure.
I discuss the downsides of the "smart money" investor who serves as an authoritarian mentor, as well as the founder's emotional dependency that can develop. While quality mentorship has value, founders should develop checks and balances like seeking diverse advisors, trusting their instincts, and not outsourcing strategic thinking. The goal of mentorship should be empowering founders to think independently. With thoughtfulness, startups can reap the benefits of mentors while retaining strategic control.

Видео The Dangers of Startup Founders Over-Relying on Mentors канала Startup Sandbox