Who's Earned the 'Expert' Badge and Who to Heed Advice From

If you're an entrepreneur or founder, there are endless resources at your disposal these days. It also seems every person who branches out on their own is an ‘expert’ in their field, well-read academics know ‘how it should be done’, and enthusiasts will espouse advice willingly, on any possible occasion.

There is no shortage of good intentions, well-intentioned words, and enthusiastic strong direction however, not all advice or opinions are equal. Some will offer true pearls of wisdom that can accelerate your business or solve a key challenge for you.

So, who should you invest your precious minutes into listening to, and better yet, who’s wisdom should you invest effort into shaping into reality for your business?

Nikhilesh Tayal, leveraging his experiences in India, states very directly   

“You should only take advice from people who have been there, done or are doing that – people who are actually getting their hands dirty, executing rather than just talking.”

We kinda agree. There’s a lot of people who ‘know’ but don’t ‘do’. Some logic and theory, mashed up with first hand experience is like a triple espresso – it can really crank things up!

Here’s who we suggest you consider truly heeding guidance from:

• Subject Matter Experts – check they have real, credible, experience in a context that is connected with the situation you’re in. Look for competency “I have done …” not “I’ve seen/read/know of …”
• Investors – aim for a medium or extensive level of maturity in their own personal investing, or those that have successful achieved what you wish to achieve with your venture
• Ecosystem Navigators and Super Connectors – those that have strong networks with the kind of people you wish to connect with. Many people ‘know’ people, but those that are highly credible have genuine connections with others, built on trust and respect, and earning their trust and respect is powerful!
• Peers - those that are in the trenches with you, sharing similar challenges and getting some progress or wins, or have just successfully smashed out another milestone. Their reality can be similar and therefore their insights can be invaluable. 

Conversations are two way, and it’s okay for you to ask a few questions to assess someone's credibility.  It is a smart move to do a deep dive into a Coach, Mentor or Advisor’s capability, their battle scars and their style. Do this before deciding whether you will politely listen and hear their thoughts, note them down, or tattoo them on your back (okay, not literally, but taking someone’s advice and applying it in your own context is about the same level of commitment). You know the old adage about opinions .... they're like ... you know the rest! 

It's up to each of us to decide who we believe has the expertise, from which we can learn.