I've acted as an informal advisor for a handful of "startups" (in the broadest sense of the word), generally on the technical side of things, but I have some business success behind me (often more than the 'founders').
Now... this might just be me, but I get asked for input, I give it, with rationalization/reasoning, and I get summarily ignored. Almost every single time. Certainly on any issue of substance. As I say, it may be me, or it may be the people I've chosen to give my time to. I think it's a mix of both, but... they tend to only want their ideas validated, not disproven or shot down. My answers in almost all cases are "it doesn't really matter what I say - or you say - you need to try the idea out, and get feedback from the data and customers (or non customers)". And I'm accused of not believing in an idea, or not having faith in people, or being too negative, or whatever. It's become dishearterning, as I generally wouldn't bother donating my time and talents to parties that I didn't think were worthwhile or had merit in the first place.
Additionally, while my successes have been modest, I've also got a wealth of failures and errors in my past to draw on, and it's truly sad to watch some people make the same mistakes I made 10 years ago. The difference is, I had no mentors or people to guide me 10 years ago - I would have loved to have had that sort of input to save me time, money and sanity. I guess some mistakes you have to make for yourself, perhaps?
Now... this might just be me, but I get asked for input, I give it, with rationalization/reasoning, and I get summarily ignored. Almost every single time. Certainly on any issue of substance. As I say, it may be me, or it may be the people I've chosen to give my time to. I think it's a mix of both, but... they tend to only want their ideas validated, not disproven or shot down. My answers in almost all cases are "it doesn't really matter what I say - or you say - you need to try the idea out, and get feedback from the data and customers (or non customers)". And I'm accused of not believing in an idea, or not having faith in people, or being too negative, or whatever. It's become dishearterning, as I generally wouldn't bother donating my time and talents to parties that I didn't think were worthwhile or had merit in the first place.
Additionally, while my successes have been modest, I've also got a wealth of failures and errors in my past to draw on, and it's truly sad to watch some people make the same mistakes I made 10 years ago. The difference is, I had no mentors or people to guide me 10 years ago - I would have loved to have had that sort of input to save me time, money and sanity. I guess some mistakes you have to make for yourself, perhaps?