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5 People to Talk With Before Starting a Business

Lisa Furgison

4 min. read

Updated February 18, 2025

You’re probably mulling over a business idea. It’s probably something you’ve been thinking about for a while. And you’re probably ready to turn your business idea into a reality.

As part of the planning stage, you’ll want to gather information, do research, and make sure that your business idea is viable. During this information-gathering stage, there’s a small list of people you should talk with before you move forward with bigger steps like applying for a bank loan or looking at commercial space.

To help you on your business quest, carve out time to talk with the following five people.

1. A Potential Customer

The very first people you should talk to are your potential customers. A business can’t exist without customers and your potential customers will give you the insights you need to build a successful business. They can tell you whether your business idea actually solves their problems, what they’d be willing to pay, and what features or services matter most to them. This conversation often reveals gaps between what you might think customers want and what they actually need. 

The best way to ensure that you are getting honest answers from your potential customers is to ask them if they’d be willing to place a pre-order for your product or service. If they’re willing to sign up or make a pre-order, you know you’re on to something. If there’s hesitation to make a financial commitment, you might have more work to do on your idea.

2. A Current Business Owner in Your Industry

Someone who’s already running a similar business can provide real-world insights about daily operations, common pitfalls, and industry-specific challenges. They can share practical advice about supplier relationships, seasonal fluctuations, and competitive dynamics that you might not find in general business resources.

If you’re hesitant to talk to someone who might be a potential competitor, an alternative is to go to work for a business that’s working in your industry or serving a customer base that’s similar to yours. There’s no better way to learn a business than to work in it. That experience can provide unique insights that you would struggle to get if you just look at a business from the outside. 

3.  A Business Coach or Mentor

Getting a little advice from someone in the business world is also a good idea. Whether you’re opening your first business or your fifth, talking with someone who can give you independent business advice will go a long way.

Ideally, this person will be able to give you advice for years to come—not just as you plan your business, but also as your business grows. If you don’t already have a business coach or mentor, check out SCORE. They offer free business mentorship opportunities all around the US. Your local SBDC office is also worth a look. They provide business coaching, classes, and mentorship that’s either free or very affordable.

An independent advisor can help keep you grounded in reality and also help you navigate the intricacies of getting a business off the ground in your area and in your industry.

4. A Family Member, Partner, or Close Friend

This might seem surprising, but starting a business affects your personal life significantly. Having an honest conversation with someone who knows you well can help you evaluate whether you’re ready for the lifestyle changes, time commitments, and stress that come with entrepreneurship. They can also provide emotional support during the challenging early stages.

Starting a new business can be all-consuming, and the support of your friends and family will make all the difference.

Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software (makers of LivePlan), has been open about his experience of bootstrapping his business and its impact on his relationship with his spouse.

“As we grew to revenues greater than $5 million in the early days, we had no outside investment, but my wife and I had three mortgages along the way and $65,000 in credit card debt at one point […] in my case, my wife was with me in all the key moments and shared the risk. If I hadn’t had her on board, I wouldn’t have done it.”

5. A Business Lawyer

If you’re starting a business with partners or are raising money – even if it’s just “friends and family” – getting terms set in writing early can avoid a lot of potential heartache down the line. Whatever the situation, you’ll want legal documents to set boundaries and minimize future disputes. 

While you can get some of this done with standard contracts from online vendors, talking to an attorney can be helpful to handle the specifics of your situation. 

Legal counsel can also help you understand regulations specific to your industry, guide you through the incorporation process, and advise on contracts and agreements. They can also help protect your intellectual property and explain potential liability issues you might not have considered.

Lisa Furgison

Lisa Furgison is a multimedia journalist with a passion for writing. She holds a graduate degree in mass communications and spent eight years as a television reporter before moving into the freelance world, where she focuses mainly on content creation and social media strategies. Furgison has crisscrossed the U.S. as a reporter, but now calls Key West, Florida home. When she's not conducting interviews or typing away on her laptop, she loves to travel.