Listen to “#844 Brad Feld Shares Why You Need to "Give First" in Small Business” on Spreaker.
On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
When I ask small business owners what was one of the keys to their success they always say- not money, not connects but having the right mentor- this is why my guest today is particularly important.
Brad Feld has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur since 1987. He co-founded two venture capital firms, Foundry Group and Mobius Venture Capital, and multiple companies, including Techstars. Brad has written multiple books on entrepreneurship and venture capital, and started blogging in 2004 before VC Twitter existed. He is also an art collector and long-distance runner. His new book is called “Give First: The Power of Mentorship”.
Here is what I asked Brad:
Is Give First just a pay it forward strategy?
“Give First” sounds great in theory—but how do I balance generosity with survival?
You say mentorship is one on one- why?
Does mentorship always have to be volunteer and never paid?
You way the best mentorship eventually becomes two way- how?
You say have empathy- but I hear its on the way out?
What are the boundaries of mentorship?
What is entrepreneurial Tzedakah?
How do I build a ‘Give First’ culture among employees—without being taken advantage of?
Should I “give first” to competitors—or is that just naive?
How do I mentor others when I’m still figuring things out myself?
Has “Give First” ever hurt your business reputation or operations?
Is “Give First” just good PR for privileged founders?
In a time of economic stress, is “Give First” still the right strategy?
