AE: The Five W Framework For Assessing Any Advisor

Advice to Average Entrepreneurs abounds. How can you weigh what someone says and ensure it applies to you?

In the past, I’ve pointed out that two factors must be considered when assessing any advice: the time and place where the advisor gained their knowledge.

Just because something worked for someone in Silicon Valley in 1990 doesn’t mean you can apply it to Saint John, New Brunswick, in 2025.

That may be obvious. But too many Average Entrepreneurs blindly apply advice intended for a different market, customer, or context.

You have to carefully assess each advisor to identify their underlying assumptions and determine whether their success can be applied to yours.

Let’s do a quick case study on my mentor, Ash Maurya.

Ash just launched a new product with a “build in a public” over-the-shoulder demonstration, applying his systematic approach to bringing a new product to market.

There’s a lot to learn from his methodology, but he’s relying on a big assumption.

For those who follow his work, it’s so close you may not see it—an audience.

He is relying on an audience built over many years. That forms the base on which he can develop his product launch. He already has the attention of thousands of entrepreneurs who are innovators who have read his books, attended his courses, or subscribed to his newsletter.

So when he sends an email inviting you to sign up for a new product, it goes to thousands of entrepreneurs everywhere. I’d estimate in the hundreds of thousands on the email list. Far fewer are active readers. But it’s still a big head start.

For most Average Entrepreneurs, we have to build an audience for our pitches and products as part of our startup. It’s a privilege to have one built and available.

And maybe, one of the only things you should create before you even start with actioning a new idea.

So stop and assess your advisor before applying their advice. Here’s a five-part framework to help: