Where are all the successful entrepreneurs?

The problem I keep running into is most people are in my boat.They are all startup. They are learning, making mistakes, tweaking their business and figuring it out as they go. But where are all the people that made it? Where are all the startups from before being a startup was a thing?

IMG_1686As I jumped from the corporate world into the world of entrepreneurship, I thought I had a great network of people surrounding me who would help me navigate these new waters. After all, “Corporate America” was once a startup, right?

The biggest difference was that my role in the corporate world was focused on a very specific part of business but not all of it. I only had to worry about my marketing deliverables and ROI. I didn’t have to worry about our product having issues, bills getting paid or a sales guy not performing.

Most of my network is the same way. If I ever need a job, I have an amazing network of people who could help me get a job–they just can’t help me find a reasonable lawyer or a freelance graphic designer (the agencies I have used for years are way too expensive) or help me determine if I should look into patenting/trademarking now, later or ever.

Match.com meets Big Brothers Big Sisters

So, I started getting out there, trying to find people like me who could help me on my journey. The problem I keep running into is most people are in my boat. They are all startup. They are learning, making mistakes, tweaking their business and figuring it out as they go.

BECOME A SPONSOR

But where are all the people that made it? Where are all the startups from before being a startup was a thing? We have so many successful business owners here in Omaha. How do we engage them and get them to step out from running their businesses to help mentor the next generations of start-ups in Omaha?

We need a way for community leaders to share some insights and possibly help mentor our startups. I picture something like a mix of match.com and Big Brothers Big Sisters. (Bet you never saw those two companies in the same sentence!)

I am not asking for someone to tell me what to do or do it for me, but sometimes the smallest piece of advice could save me hundreds or thousands of dollars and lots of time! I have been very fortunate in the past three years to meet people who have become my mentors, but it was very hard to find them.

We need oldtimers

As a business owner, I want mentors who get no benefit from me. I don’t want an investor or someone that could potentially give me advice that benefits them. I want someone who feels like this is good karma. They are giving back because they have been successful and want to help the next group rise up and be successful, too. If we care about this community then it’s a win-win.

In my three years as an entrepreneur I have a laundry list of things you shouldn’t do, companies you shouldn’t work with, and things I wish I would have known sooner.

I wish I had found the right mentors sooner.

In a one hour meeting with a mentor I saved myself hours of time in researching an issue, as they had been through something very similar a year prior. They helped give me some direction, and it saved me a bunch of time and headache.

As the Silicon Prairie evolves and matures, I hope to see more “oldtimers” at events and see more events tailored to bringing these groups of entrepreneurs together. People want to know what worked, what didn’t, and how they can fail faster and easier on their way to success.

 

Leslie Fischer is the co-founder of TAGG, a social good app which allows anyone with a smart phone to give back to their favorite cause just by supporting local businesses. Leslie’s mission with TAGG is to create the next generation of givers and give everyone the easiest way to do good in the Omaha community.  Leslie received her degree in Business Administration with an minor in Marketing from UNO and is also the co-founder of Ladies Who Launch Omaha – a women entrepreneur group and on the board of Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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