Startup mentoring

Get unstuckfaster.

1-on-1 mentoring for startup founders. Get help with business and technology decisions, fundraising prep, and team building from a founder with a successful exit.

Scope

What I can help with

I've never worked in any industry outside tech, and I still code for fun. My strength is bridging technology and the real world, helping non-technical founders make confident decisions about what to build and why.

  • Review your investor or sales deck
  • Scope the MVP and say "not now" to the rest
  • Turn a business or expansion idea into a concrete plan
  • Decide where AI or other tech actually helps and what to skip
  • Structure the team and make distributed work… work

If you're opening a restaurant, I can suggest software or sensors that help, but I can't tell you how to make cheaper pizza.

How we work

Four rules for every session

  1. You talk first.

    I listen and map your world before I suggest anything.

  2. Candor over comfort.

    I'll be direct. If something's weak, I'll say so and explain why.

  3. The final decision is yours.

    I listen and advise and you make the decisions. At the end of the day, it's your company.

My story

Val Kamenski

Why I mentor

When I started my first company, I had no mentors. I grew up in a working-class family with no business role models, so I learned many things the hard way.

Over time, I learned a simple truth: in business, actions and outcomes are often out of sync — what you decide now can echo years from now.

I mentor to help the earlier version of me avoid obvious traps, make better decisions sooner, and avoid irreparable mistakes that may cost you millions of dollars in the future.

Connect on LinkedIn

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