Buffalo News talked with startup support organizations across Western New York to understand why mentorship is critical for startups — perhaps more than any other profession.
Richard Kim, director of startup ventures at the University at Buffalo, shared that "Building a company is one of the hardest things to do professionally, and it becomes even more difficult when resources aren’t as available as they would be in a place like Silicon Valley...experienced mentors, who have been there and maybe taken their lumps and found ways to succeed once or twice, they can really help get you through the process of figuring out what the next steps for your business should be.”
As reported, it's crucial for mentors to build trust, show empathy and make space for vulnerability.
Peter Burakowski, senior associate director of startup ventures at UB, shares that most entrepreneurs are consumed by both the opportunities they can go after and the many challenges they have to tackle. “It could be really difficult to sort through what to prioritize,” said Burakowski. “Mentors give founders the perspective that you can’t do everything, and help them prioritize what the most important things are to help them feel good that they’re doing what they believe is right at this moment.”