Choose the best location for achieving the desired outcome
In today's startup world, many meetings now take place in a virtual environment, but there are also opportunities to meet face-to-face with mentors, especially if they are part of your immediate community or a program in which you participate. Regardless of whether you're meeting in-person or online, choosing the location for that meeting can be a critical component of ensuring that you are able to achieve the outcomes you're seeking. Different meeting environments can dictate both the time commitment and potential outcomes of a mentor meeting.
Selecting a meeting environment that provides the least amount of hassle and the most amount of comfort for the mentor shows the mentor that you're able to listen, assess feedback, and adjust accordingly. It may seem simple, but being attentive to this sort of detail is a meaningful way to showcase your strengths as a mentee and establish a positive relationship with the mentor. Perhaps most important, creating the best meeting environment will help ensure that you're able to reach the outcomes you're hoping to achieve as a mentee.
Different locations result in different types of meetings and meeting outcomes
Not sure what location is most beneficial for the meeting? Let's take a look at some potential options for you, both virtual and in-person.
Virtual meeting options
Virtual options tend to consist of voice or voice and video/screensharing. These meetings can be productive in as little as 20 minutes or can serve as an effective platform for longer-form meetings.
Sometimes, a voice-only call can be a compelling way of hosting a mentor meeting, since it removes a great deal of complexity. A video call that stalls or freezes can cause additional stress for you and frustration for the mentor.
For many people, a phone call is a more familiar, comfortable, and accessible form of communication. What's more, choosing a phone call over a video conference may result in a more focused conversation, create less likelihood for the meeting being rescheduled ("My previous meeting ran long so I'm not at desk."), and present fewer potential technical difficulties.
That being said, if you're hoping to record the interaction or share visuals—like a presentation or spreadsheet—it's best to pick a platform that allows for both voice and video. Just make sure that you have a solid internet connection to support that platform during the time of the call.
When in doubt, choose the platform which you believe will give you the highest likelihood of a successful conversation with your mentor.
In-person meeting options
For in-person meetings, you have a variety of options, but it's important to understand the dynamics that each space brings to a mentor meeting. Let's walk through the pros and cons of a number of options.
Conference room or office setting
This is the perfect location for a short meeting. It will enable you and your mentor to have a productive discussion in as little as 20 minutes. If you need a whiteboard or a screen to present, this can be the most optimal meeting location. Office spaces also provide the benefit of being more discrete, making them a great location to discuss confidential matters out of earshot of others. The only drawback to a more formal office environment is that it might not feel as comfortable or casual as participants may like.
Coffee shop
A coffee shop can serve as a casual environment for a mentor meeting with the added benefit that it also provides the opportunity for you to purchase a beverage or snack to thank the mentor for their time. This can make it a perfect location for the first meeting between you and your mentor. Coffee shop meetings generally run about 30 minutes, especially if they're a busy or noisy environment. If you have to present slides, share documentation, or discuss confidential information, a coffee shop can be a challenging environment. But if you're planning to simply have a conversation, a coffee shop can be a great option for a low-stress environment for a meeting.
Lunch
Once you've established a relationship with your mentor, you may feel comfortable engaging in longer and deeper conversations on startup topics. A lunch meeting can be the perfect opportunity to meet with a mentor for a longer period time in a casual setting. Bear in mind that most lunch meetings will last an hour, plus travel time. So plan accordingly and make reservations, if possible. Like a coffee shop, a lunch meeting provides a relaxed atmosphere for a meeting, but it can be challenging in terms of sharing documentation or confidential information. Unlike a coffee shop, a lunch meeting feels more formal, so it may introduce additional pressure and stress for both parties. What's more, lunch can be an expensive way of meeting, so it may be best to avoid this format if you're not in a financial position to pay for the outing.
Dinner
Dinner meetings can be a very effective long-form meeting format for parties who are very familiar with one another. They can be awkward as a first meeting format. Know that a dinner meeting will likely last 90 minutes or more, so it's important that you have a clear understanding of what you're hoping to accomplish during the conversation with a clear agenda of topics you'd like to cover, even if you don't formally share the agenda with the mentor. It's also wise to pick a location that allows reservations to ensure that you are able to find seating in an expedient manner. Like lunch, dinner can be a significant investment of both money and time, so be judicious in choosing dinner as a meeting format.
Since this is a meeting where you'll potentially be reviewing sensitive financial information, it makes sense to host this meeting in a conference room. This will provide you with the privacy that allows you to be as transparent as possible with your mentor and will also provide you with the ability to share your screen or present slides if needed. As a backup, plan to host the meeting on a virtual platform, if meeting in person is not an option.
Now that you've done all of your research, built an agenda, and chosen a prospective meeting environment, it's time to officially schedule time with your mentor.