Choose a startup advisor around a problem you need help solving. “They know a lot of people” is a weak substitute for understanding what you will actually work on together.
I advise startups, so I have a direct interest in this subject. My standard is straightforward: the relationship should improve a decision, create useful access, or help the founder execute something important.
Define the job before the person
Write down the next decision or milestone. It might be hiring a first sales leader, entering an enterprise market, fixing acquisition economics, or navigating a technical commercialization question.
Then name the kind of help required. Pattern recognition, detailed operating feedback, customer introductions, and regular accountability are different contributions. One advisor may not be strong at all four.
If you cannot explain the job, it will be difficult to distinguish helpful advice from an interesting conversation.
Evaluate relevance through a real discussion
Share enough context to discuss a bounded problem. Look for questions that reveal constraints, assumptions, and the underlying business model.
A relevant advisor does not need an instant answer. They should be able to explain how they would investigate the problem and where their own experience stops applying.
Ask about comparable situations without requesting confidential client information. Understand the advisor’s role in those situations, not just the companies whose names appear in their biography.
Clarify the working relationship
Discuss the expected cadence, preparation, response times, and kinds of introductions that are realistic. Establish who does the work between meetings.
Ask about potential conflicts and other commitments. A relevant network is useful only if introductions are appropriate and the advisor has the time and willingness to help.
For any formal arrangement, have the actual scope and terms documented with appropriate professional help. Do not substitute a generic online compensation benchmark for understanding the relationship you are creating.
Start with a concrete working session
A useful first session ends with a decision, a small number of next steps, and an owner for each. Send a short recap and return with evidence from the work.
After a few interactions, ask whether the relationship is changing what the company does. A founder can enjoy an advisor’s company without receiving the help they need.
The same principle applies to a mentor inside an accelerator. The strongest name on a program’s website is less useful than relevant expertise you can actually access. Use the accelerator evaluation template to make that distinction explicit before committing time to a program.
Co-founder and CEO of Stackmatix, startup advisor, and former Head of Sales at MightyHive. Connect with Matt on LinkedIn ↗ · More about Matt →