You can’t help everybody and that’s OK.

I am regularly asked by entrepreneurs to help validate their idea, find investors, go to market, build a team, motivate them, and so on! Surprisingly some entrepreneurs expect this help, somehow, to come for free.

While I have done (for years) and still do my share of pro bono work, over time I have also started to feel a bit frustrated.

It may seem intuitive or easy from the outside but mentors, coaches, consultants and advisors have spent years building expertise — through testing, books, courses, education, and not least, hard-earned lessons and failures. What we give in 1h, saves you time and money.

Something that I also noticed over time, is that people who learn to pay for services, also learn to make money more quickly, ask their own clients to pay for their services and value their own work, experience and time.

They are on the right path to run a healthy business.

To the entrepreneurs out there: I know it’s tough and we are all trying to keep our costs low, but remember to reward those who support you. It has to be a fair exchange.

Plus, most of the time,
Free advice = low/no value advice.
Paid advice = high-value advice.
🤷‍♀️ It is up to you how you want to use your time.

And for the consultants, mentors, coaches out there, it’s OK to say no and set boundaries. Focus on the clients who value your work.