I need clarity and priorities
You may need Structuring when many issues compete for attention, decisions remain vague, or the next step is unclear.
Founder guide
What Support Does My Startup Need?
Founders often know that something is stuck before they know what kind of help would actually make a difference. A useful first step is to describe the function the support should provide—not simply ask for “a mentor.”
The central question is: What needs to change after a helpful conversation—clarity, energy, access, perspective, or concrete action?
Five common support needs
I need confidence and momentum
You may need Motivation when uncertainty, rejection, conflict, or exhaustion is beginning to limit action.
I need people, knowledge, or resources
You may need Access when progress depends on contacts, expertise, customers, partners, funding, or opportunities beyond your current network.
I need to challenge my assumptions
You may need Reflection when you are repeating the same interpretation, avoiding a difficult question, or cannot distinguish evidence from hope.
I need to turn insight into action
You may need Transfer when conversations feel useful but do not produce experiments, commitments, routines, or follow-through.
A short founder self-check
- What decision or challenge is currently consuming the most attention?
- What have you already tried, and what evidence did it produce?
- Is the barrier primarily unclear thinking, reduced momentum, missing access, an untested assumption, or weak follow-through?
- What would be observably different two weeks after genuinely useful support?
- Does the situation require advice, a critical question, an introduction, accountability—or a combination?
Needs change over time
A startup does not have one permanent coaching need. The useful function can change with the venture stage, the decision at hand, and the founder's current capacity. A founder may need Reflection before making a market decision, Access while testing it, and Transfer once the evidence points to a course of action.
This is why matching only by industry or job title is often insufficient. A strong match connects relevant expertise with the support function needed now.
Author and research basis
This guide was written by Dr. Anja Hagedorn. Its five support functions are derived from the research-based SMART model for entrepreneurial coaching.
- Hagedorn, A. (2017). The Impact of Social Capital for Venture Creation. Doctoral Dissertation, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management.
- Hagedorn, A. (under review, 2026). A Process-Based Typology of Entrepreneurial Coaching Functions: The SMART Model. Submitted to the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing.
Suggested citation: Hagedorn, A. (2026). What Support Does My Startup Need? (Version 1.0). SMART Compass. https://www.smartcompass.app/startup-support-needs/
Move from a vague problem to a structured profile
SMART Compass guides you through the reflection and translates it into support priorities and a practical roadmap.