Over the past three years, there are two things that seem to happen around May. First, the bad weather days in Boulder are replaced by beautiful weather that hasnt been touched by the heat of summer. Second, Techstars begins.

This is the third year. The first year, I was re-engaging with the Denver/Boulder tech scene after spending the previous four years heads down building Current Wisdom. It was a revolutionary experience for me. For years, I was the only person I knew that loved ideas. Loved testing those ideas. Loved failing at those ideas, and trying the next idea.

Yet, here was 20-30 people who were neck deep in the process of building on an idea and turning into something real. I got involved with Techstars that first year near its end, and I was lucky to see some companies start to figure it out (Eventvue and Filtrbox), others beginning to tap into their potential (SocialThing, Intense Debate and Brightkite), and others sort of either hit a growth plateau or peter out (SearchtoPhone, JSquared and MadKast). I tried to be as helpful as I could be, sometimes with a quiet push and sometimes with something a bit louder.

I knew that in year two, I wanted to be involved. David and I became good friends over the course of the year, I had spent more time at Lijit, and I moved to Boulder. When I looked at the breath of mentors that had been selected in year two, I felt that I just didnt have as much to provide, so I convinced David to allow me to be a “floater” mentor (Yes Adam, just like the East River, but not like the toilet) where I helped several teams with specific projects or activities. I helped Gyminee with search marketing strategy and Ignighter, Foodzie and People Software with their presentations. During the summer I even gave a presentation on the importance of blogging and transparency for the young companies.

The teams in year two seemed to be more “complete.” They had moved beyond the “just ideas” that the first year teams entered the program with, and spent the summer refining their focus and strategies.

If it was possible, I was more impressed by the second year group, because the teams that “got it,” REALLY got it, and those that didnt, REALLY didnt. It was easier to see the separation, and easier to know where to spend time.

It was in year two where I had an “ah-hah” moment with mentoring. In truth, I had never mentored before. I have coached. I have advised. I have taught, but never mentored.

The “ah-ha” moment? My job as mentor is not to advise, coach or teach. My job as mentor is to guide.

The difference?

Let me paint a picture, if you will (I always wanted to write that).

Most companies when they are formed have a clear picture of where they are and where they want to go, but not what the path between the beginning and the end will look like.

Guidance is soft suggestion and support of the path the team has chosen EVEN if the chosen path could potentially be wrong. Advice is strong suggestion and direction on what path to take.

Guidance disallows a team from losing focus. Advice provides the team with the “best” focus as determined by the advisor.

Guidance teaches teams that failure is a possibility and a probability. Advice teaches teams nothing, except you will help them avoid failure.

Make sense?

As the third year of Techstars begins, I am excited to assume the role of a lead mentor for one of this year’s team. I am excited because in many ways, I discovered and advised this team to apply to Techstars. Yes, I advised. Strongly.

I am also excited to work with Jason Mendelson. Jason and I have had colorful interactions in the past and I look forward to the guidance he will provide me to become a better mentor. (Yes Dan, Jason and I will become an Ignighter group* so we can pick up chicks. Thinking of calling it BJ and the Bear).

This year I challenge all the Techstars teams to demand the best guidance from their mentors. I challenge the teams to take the guidance provided by their mentors and become this year’s standout team. I challenge the teams to be fearless in their choices.

But mostly, I challenge the teams to make all of us forget about the past two years of Techstars, and I will provide this guidance: Success comes from intense passion, focus and execution; failure comes from listening to too much advice.

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