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Over
the last 30 years, an entire industry has developed around serving the needs
of business and technology entrepreneurs. These service providers practice in
both the public sector and the private sector and are available on the local,
state, and national levels. In the public sector, these services are often available
at no charge; in the private sector, there is typically a cost. Unfortunately,
there is often little correlation between the cost and quality of the service
rendered.
Mentoring
Incubators
They key is to first understand what your specific needs are.
A thorough, objective planning process can help get you started in this direction,
but most technology entrepreneurs are uncertain what needs to be done, so they
are unclear about what their real needs are. A good way to get started, then,
is to find a mentor—someone who has "been there and done that."
Entrepreneurs of all kinds tend to share a bond that usually involves a willingness
and desire to help others who are coming after them. Because of this, you may
not have much difficulty finding individuals who are willing to serve as a
mentor. The trick, however, is to find someone who is a good match to you.
You have to be comfortable in accepting advice from this individual and knowing
when and how often you can turn to him/her. Similarly, you have to be confident
that s/he is genuinely interested in helping you. And most importantly, you
have to be able to communicate with each other. Often, this relationship develops
over time, but it always begins with your signaling that you are serious about
the proposed venture and are willing to work hard for it.
Networking with peers and respected individuals in your technology area or
the business community is a good way to identify prospective mentors.
Check the Energy
TechNet Resource Directory to see if mentoring
services are available in your state.
Especially in more rural areas, you may not be able to find a single individual
who can mentor you in all respects of your new venture. In this case, you may
want to put together an advisory group, each member of which brings a particular
area of knowledge and experience. Indeed, pulling together an advisory group
is a good step for any entrepreneur, regardless of location.
The U.S. Small Business Administration's
SCORE program is another opportunity to receive sound mentoring assistance.
SCORE is designed to connect entrepreneurs with experienced business owners
in a mentoring relationship. The idea behind SCORE is superb—the key
to successfully using the program, however, is to get connected to a SCORE
counselor who has the background and experience to meet your specific needs.
If you are able to find such a good connection, it is also important for
you to take full advantage of the opportunity by maintaining contact with
the counselor, possibly over a period of many months or even years.
The newly formed Entrepreneurs for Energy Efficiency, Inc.,
a group of entrepreneurs who have developed technology through the
DOE Inventions and Innovations Program, also plans to offer mentoring
services. This group's web site
will offer additional information as the program unfolds.
Incubators represent another opportunity to receive business
and/or technology development assistance. There are hundreds of incubators
located around the country. Some offer only office space and shared access
to administrative services (e.g., receptionist; copier/fax; bookkeeping). Many
others, however, offer active counseling in business management, marketing,
technology development and commercialization, legal, and other matters of interest
to most entrepreneurs.
Check the Energy TechNet Resource Directory to
see if your state has incubator facilities.
The National Business Incubator Association (NBIA) is another excellent resource. NBIA's
Web site allows you to search for
incubators in your area.
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