6 Places A Startup CTO Can Find Mentorship

1. 6 Places A Startup CTO Can Find Mentorship

2. Past Employers andVendors
• As a startup CTO, I find mentorship through my counterparts at past employers and vendors we use.
Oftentimes, these can be transient types of mentorship. But with some reciprocation -- they'll usually
want advice too -- they can turn into regular relationships, especially if you're currently doing business
with a vendor. I find that these types of conversations turn out to be the best types of mentorship, as
they already know what's going on in your head through knowing you from a past gig or already know
part of what's going on in your business by being a vendor. Having conversations with these types of
people can also have fringe benefits; past employers send you opportunities while vendors give you a
heads up on new happenings and breaks on fees if things are tight.
-Brian Fritton, Patch Of Land

3. CTOs Of Larger Companies
• A startup CTO should look to build relationships with CTOs who have worked in that role in a larger
business, as well as those who currently serve in that role somewhere. Most of the time they will be
more than willing to jump on a call or grab coffee with you. These individuals have a wealth of
knowledge, can help you understand how the industry has changed and can offer you more
connections and advisers.
-Jason Grill, JGrill Media | Sock 101

4. The Internet
• Today’s interconnected world offers amazing resources, such as Clarity or Google Hangouts, where
young CTOs can find mentorship from those who have already become successful. Personally, I found
mentorship early on in my career by reaching out over nontraditional channels such as Internet Relay
Chat to find like-minded professionals who helped me solve challenges in my business endeavors.
-Lane Campbell, Syntress SCDT

5. Business Incubators Or
Accelerator Programs
• Startup CTOs can typically find mentorship through a local business incubator or accelerator
program. Get a list of potential mentors from the program's website and reach out to them via
LinkedIn.
-Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

6. Meetup Groups
• A lot of startup CTOs and engineers head to meetup groups, especially for their specific technology
languages, to find mentors and like-minded developers. People who participate in meetups usually do
so because they are genuinely interested in the subjects, which makes it easier to find a passionate
mentor. Meetups also provide a more relaxed environment for networking compared to formal business
meetings, so it's a lot easier to make connections that are genuine as well as skills specific.
-Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

7. C-Level Meetups
• It's great to get together with like minds who share similar problems and experiences that you do. Go
to meetup.com or look for local groups on LinkedIn for CTO meetups. Go to the next event, bring
stories and ideas that you would like to discuss -- they will as well.
-Andy Karuza, Brandbuddee