Wanted: a Mentor | Hacker News Reader

Wanted: a Mentor

16 pointsmapster11 comments

It is time I ask for help.

After years of failed website ideas (not startups), I realize I desperately need someone who is willing to guide me in implementing small niche websites. (I typically find niche opportunities than disruptive game changers). By reaching out and asking for help, I am realizing my limitations and hopefully I can learn the skills I currently do not have. If you have been successful in testing ideas, from squeeze page to paid traffic testing, I would love to chat, pick your brain (I hate that term, sorry), or bounce ideas off.

In my line of work, I constantly spot small-time opportunities, but just can't seem to get my ideas tested and the lo-fi version implemented, so I can scope out the market to ultimately decide to stay or move on.

About me. I work from a home office making digital maps for clients. I have been pipe-dreaming of internet startup since 1993. I have some decent technical skills, meaning I can create basic websites, blogs etc. and am savvy with various tools of the trade (Spyfu, Compete, Adwords, affiliate, html/css, php, etc.). I am a hard and sometimes smart worker. My background is actually in environmental conservation and mapping. See my profile for a LinkedIn link.

If you are willing to serve as a mentor in this regard, please contact me at christen.erichsen via gmail. I would be immensely grateful!

grazie mille (a thousand thanks) -Chris

You might want to read: http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/why-successful-peo...

I've had good luck finding mentors by accident. Mostly, I'll e-mail someone who I would want to be a mentor with an off handed comment about how they can improve something they are doing and then we'll get an e-mail thread going. Eventually, they'll ask, "So what are you doing?" and then you'll show/tell them and they start to mentor you.

I suspect this is how mentoring works for others. Every single person I would call a mentor, I've approached to help them in some way. There is only one exception to this, but he and I shared a common group of associates already so he was just paying it forward.

Noah - appreciate the link and thoughtful advice. It does sound logical.

Not a direct mentorship per se, but definitely check out Mike Taber and Rob Walling's "Startups for the Rest of Us" podcast series: http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/

They also have a "Micropreneur Academy" which may interest you. Its basically a more detailed version of their podcast, giving tutorials/screencasts/forums detailing all the stuff you are asking about (niche markets, keyword research, conversion testing, mailing lists, adwords, etc etc)

*For the record, I'm not affiliated with Mike and Rob - I just really like their advice and style. :)

First, I would like to thank those who have responded to me personally. Thanks for this tip. I am desperate to learn from successful people.

Have a look at http://mixergy.com (and the related itunes podcast too).

Andrew Warner is great at getting people to give away their numbers :)

I hear they also run a good academy unlike the entre-porn out there

+1 for polyfractal's suggestion. The stuff I learned from their podcast and academy helped me launch my first niche web site.

So are you looking to capitalize on your GIS chops? Maybe building location-based apps that are genuinely useful...

Or are you trying to figure out how to generate advertising dollars on webby stuff?

If it's advertising, I can't help you (I make it a point to never have any ads on any of my sites) -- but if it's GIS, I may.

Maybe.

The niche markets I identify are naturally map / data related for a narrow business segment. So yes, I am leveraging my abilities and resources in that field to serve and out-compete others in these spaces. The niche markets are direct sales, not ad based.

Feel free to PM me then.

Thank you. I don't see a contact in your profile. You can update it or shoot me an email at christen.erichsen <gmail>

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