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Snag the Best Advisors for Your Startup, from Best-selling Authors to Fortune 500 CEOs

First Round Review Free Intermediate

First Round Review is a primary, canonical startup-operations source, and this is a tactical playbook on landing high-caliber advisors even when you're a nobody, exactly the 'my network is all corporate' problem. It reframes advisor outreach as earned through specific, valuable interaction rather than cold asks.

  • Create categories of advisors for different time and energy commitments, advising is not one-size-fits-all.
  • The best way to get value is to bring an advisor a specific problem to help solve, not vague requests for 'advice'.
  • Earn access by making a favorable, valuable impression first; the relationship precedes the formal ask.
  • Set light structure, regular touchpoints and clear goals, so the relationship doesn't go stale.
Open on review.firstround.com ↗

It answers 3 questions

  1. My network is all corporate colleagues, how do I actually meet founders and investors?
  2. How do I build a founder network intentionally instead of hoping it happens?
  3. How do I find a mentor for one specific gap like sales, hiring, or pricing rather than a generalist?

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