WRAL Tech Wire

A Message to Entrepreneurs: The Importance of Giving Back Can't Be Denied

Editor's note: Grace W. Ueng is the Founder and President of Savvy Marketing Group.Every now and then, we should step back and think through the many people in our lives who have helped us become who we are today.

In fact, no matter where we stand in our professional careers, we are most likely still learning from someone -- at least, I hope that you are experiencing the joy of lifetime learning. It is all too easy to say "I don't have time", but I challenge everyone to be a mentor and also a mentee to continue the cycle of giving back while also growing.

Seasoned entrepreneurs sharing their success and failure stories to budding entrepreneurs will seed and season new ventures and continue the cycle of startup life.

Mentors

Given the busy world in which we live, we need to literally block out time on Outlook -- a few hours a week or month depending on your other commitments - to mentor others. You know what your gifts are. Guest lecture or judge a venture competition at one of the local universities. Take an intern under your wing during the summer.

Teach, serve on a panel, or speak at non-profit organizations established to help entrepreneurs such as CED (www.cednc.org ), SCORE (www.score.org ), SBTDC (www.sbtdc.org ) or other local associations. Join an advisory board for a startup whose operations could benefit from more seasoned experience. Agree to help an individual by being available when they face tough professional decisions.

Mentees

Don't be afraid to ask someone if they could be your mentor. Most people like to give advice and talk about themselves -- it's part of human nature. Use your mentor's time effectively, remembering that they are likely bombarded by many people seeking their advice. They are volunteering to help you -- be organized in what you are asking and be appreciative. It's amazing how many mentees ask for time and don't even send a thank you note. Tell them the specific questions you have and let them know your goals so they can frame their responses in a manner that is most helpful to you.

One upcoming mentor/mentee event not to be missed is CED's Entrepreneur '04 Conference, scheduled for Saturday, October 30, at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. Over 60 successful entrepreneurs will be sharing their stories about the smart moves as well as mistakes they made in building their businesses. The all-day conference, which is targeted to any existing or potential entrepreneur from any industry, will offer many opportunities for one-on-one coaching and networking.

(For more information on this event: www.cednc.org/conferences/entrepreneur/2004/ )

Whether you are serving as the mentor or the mentee, it is vital for entrepreneurs of all stages and all backgrounds to have a "can help" pitch-in attitude. We should all set aside time to explore the many avenues to build relationships and make a difference in the Triangle's innovation community.

About Savvy Marketing Group: Grace Ueng is the Founder and President of Savvy Marketing Group, LLC , a leading RTP consulting firm that uses proven methodologies to help new ventures maximize their chances for success. After holding leadership roles at five venture backed startups which yielded nearly $1 billion in investor returns, Grace decided to make a career out of "giving back" by starting a consulting practice focused on helping entrepreneurs. She is also the co-chair of CED's Entrepreneur '04 Conference.