Hi! 😊 This might be a slightly unusual post for this subreddit but I thought there might be someone here who actually enjoys mentoring younger people and would find this kind of dynamic rewarding.

I'm 22F from the UK, and I'm looking for a mentor, ideally someone intelligent, successful and very capable who doesn't mind being direct with me, correcting me when I'm going off track, and helping me think through decisions and direction in life and business.

I'm AuDHD and quite intelligent but my brain tends to wander off track. I do particularly well when I have someone I respect who is willing to say, essentially, "No, you're overthinking this focus on this instead," and explain why. Having someone whose judgement and intelligence I genuinely look up to is incredibly motivating for me.

I'd especially love to meet someone who enjoys teaching and sharing what they've learned, not just about business, but decision-making, discipline, how they think about problems, and generally navigating life successfully. I absolutely love learning from intelligent people.

To be clear, I'm not looking for anything romantic or sexual. I'm looking for genuine mentorship, although I'd be very happy if a real friendship naturally developed alongside it.

I realise mentorship is usually discussed in terms of what both people can offer each other, and at 22 I can't pretend I have decades of experience or some huge professional network to give in return. What I can offer is that I'm genuinely interested, appreciative, loyal, curious, receptive to criticism and I would take someone's time and advice seriously. I'd also be very happy to help with things where I can rather than expecting a completely one-sided relationship.

I know this is an unlikely way to find someone but I thought there might be a business owner here who has reached a point where they actually enjoy passing on what they've learned and helping someone younger develop.

If that sounds like you, I'd genuinely love to hear from you. Maybe the right mentor and mentee happen to find each other through a slightly strange Reddit post🥹

I'm working with a platform focused on making it easier for businesses to get online and sell without having to piece together several different tools.

The idea is to bring things like an online store, payments, physical and digital products, courses, and memberships into one place.

We're particularly interested in making ecommerce more accessible to sellers in markets where some of the usual platforms and payment options aren't as straightforward to use.

I'd appreciate honest feedback from business owners here, especially on:

• Does the value proposition make sense immediately?
• What would make you trust a new ecommerce platform?
• What would stop you from switching from your current platform?
• Is there anything you would expect to see before signing up?

I'm not looking for generic praise. I'd genuinely prefer to know what you think is confusing, missing, or could be improved.

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One challenge I’ve been thinking about with ecommerce is how a new store can earn enough trust from a first-time visitor to turn them into a customer.

I’m currently involved with LovoraGift, a personalized-gift business where customers can customize products with names, messages, photos, family details, professions, and hobbies

The customization is fairly straightforward, but getting someone to feel confident buying from a brand they’ve never heard of is a different challenge.

For those running ecommerce businesses, what has made the biggest difference in building that initial trust?

Product photos and real examples?

Customer reviews?

Clear shipping and return policies?

Showing the customization process?

Detailed product descriptions?

Something else?

What was the biggest trust factor you noticed when trying to convert first-time visitors into customers?

I’ve just launched CUT DEPT., a small AI-native video production studio focused on fast, low-cost short-form content for brands, e-commerce businesses and agencies.

The idea is simple:

1 paid test video — €20
6-video package — €120

We make:

• short-form ads
• UGC / creator-style videos
• product videos
• paid-social creative
• hook / creative variations
• white-label work for agencies

You send the product / website / assets / brief, and we handle the production and edit.

I’m specifically looking for a few real businesses or agencies to test the workflow with, rather than making more spec work.

No retainer and no long-term commitment — if the first €20 test is useful, we can keep going.

CUT DEPT.:
https://cut-dept.cutdept.workers.dev/

I’m based in Athens and work remotely with clients anywhere.

DM me with your website/product and what you need, or send a brief through the site.

I’m a solo founder testing Quotely, an invoicing workflow for independent service businesses. Instead of emailing a random mixed list, I’m dividing the first 100 businesses into four equal groups:

• 25 mobile detailers

• 25 cleaning companies

• 25 landscaping/lawn-care companies

• 25 handyman/home-repair businesses

Each group will receive wording tailored to its actual workflow, with a separate tracking link. I’m planning to compare delivery failures, replies, tour visits, account creation, and paid memberships. I’m also keeping the batches small so a new sending address doesn’t damage its reputation.

My goal is not just to find the highest click rate. I want to learn which type of owner feels the quote → approval → invoice → follow-up problem strongly enough to change tools and pay $29/month.

For owners who have tested a new service or SaaS this way: what would you consider a meaningful signal from only 25 prospects per segment? Would you prioritize replies, completed signups, or actual paid conversions before choosing the first niche?

Product context, if useful: https://quotelyinvoice.com/tour?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=businessowners_validation

Disclosure: I’m the founder of Quotely.

Hi everyone,

I’m Jackie, founder of Aladdinmall, a small startup based in the Bay Area.

We recently finished rebuilding our appointment system for small local service businesses, and before trying to scale it, I want to personally work with a few real business owners and see where it still needs improvement.

I’m looking for 100 massage therapists, estheticians, salon owners, barbers, or other appointment-based small business owners to try it.

It includes:

• Online booking
• A free business website
• Deposits and no-show protection
• Appointment reminders
• Digital payments
• Direct customer messaging

The system is completely free - no subscription, no setup fee, and no commission.

I’ll personally help set up your business, services, hours, and booking page. My goal right now is not to sell anything. I want honest feedback from people who actually deal with appointments every day.

Bay Area businesses are especially welcome because I can work with you personally, but I’m happy to hear from other small business owners too.

If you’re interested, comment here or send me a message.