I get lots of requests for advice or mentorship. Often, the person requesting hasn’t done basics:

1. Research your field! Know everything you need about your industry first!

2. Research me! Read my blog posts, watch my talks. That’s the best way to get advice from me. 1/

3. Be specific. Ask a very precise question that Google didn’t answer.

4. Be concise. I don’t have time to review a 30 page business plan.

5. Start by trying to execute and ask if you run into challenges. Don’t waste my time with ‘I have this idea.’ 2/

You say you need just ten minutes of my time, but 10 X number of requests I get daily adds up and takes time from my business where I earn money.

And it never takes 10 minutes!

If you can’t express your project and your needs concisely, it’s not mature enough to ask for help.

Check first for local support. So many contact me when they haven’t even tried with their local tech hub. These hubs are equipped to provide support for entrepreneurs and most programs are free. For a list of African hubs look here: http://afrilabs.com