The best founders I know get the best advice from experienced entrepreneurs and other experts.

Great advice is usually the result of the founder’s investment of time in their network of experts and experienced entrepreneurs who want to help.

As Craig Letton, founder and CEO of MRM Global, explained to me on the Practical Founders Podcast this week, he asks for a lot of outside perspectives.

Craig grew his specialty printing business in Scotland into a fast-growing marketing technology platform for global beverage brands.

MRM Global survived the brutal startup phase, COVID lockdowns, three product rewrites, and the usual challenges.

Now they are growing fast and he sees a clear path to a £50-£100 million revenue software business, even in his focused niche.

“I’ve got a big network of advisors, unpaid. People that I can reach out to if I’ve got a problem.”

“I was looking at the funding thing the other day. I went to ten different people and said, What do you think of this? I got all their advice, distilled it down, made a decision, and off I went.”

Craig doesn’t think anything of picking up the phone or emailing someone and asking for help. He asked for my time and perspective last year and we talked a few times.

Nobody has ever told him no when he asked for advice.

“Getting advice from experienced people probably has been the biggest thing to get me where we are today because I didn’t have the answers.”

He’s a gritty, smart, practical founder who won’t quit.

He also asks for advice from others and then makes his own decision.

It’s amazing how help can show up—when you ask for it.

Listen to the interview with Craig Letton on the Practical Founders Podcast.

Thanks for sharing your amazing story, Craig!

#practicalfounders