Clarity – Mentorship With a Digital Twist

Young entrepreneurs can benefit from the wisdom of their elders, not only in business, but in life itself. Unfortunately, finding a mentor with the perfect mix of professional acumen and real-world experience isn’t always easy, especially for people who live in remote places or haven’t perfected their networking skills just yet. Clarity offers a solution.

Clarity is a tool that people can use to solicit advice from entrepreneurs in their industries. The platform has partnered with more than 9,000 experts in virtually every field (from venture capital to sales, design, fashion, and real estate). Members can search for mentors by skill, expertise or job title, and browse through the experts who meet their specifications. Expert listings include basic facts like name, location, and accomplishments, as well as reviews from members who’ve solicited their advice in the past. Each profile lists how much the expert charges per minute for advice — most experts charge between $1 and $10 per minute — along with that person’s average call time. When you find an expert whose brain you’d like to pick, click “Request a call” and you can schedule a time that works for both your schedules.

If you’re brimming with professional accolades and eager to share the knowledge you’ve picked up along the course of your career, then you can sign up to become a Clarity expert. Apply to become an expert with your LinkedIn account, and set your rates based on what you think you advice is worth. Clarity pays its experts via PayPal transfers twice each month, and takes 15% of the fee from each completed call.

Practical Uses:

• Find out how to secure funding for your startup
• Bounce a specific business idea off of an industry veteran
• Learn how other entrepreneurs solved similar issues with their businesses
• Connect with a mentor who enjoys helping people who are just starting out

Insider Tips:

• The average Clarity call lasts 30 minutes and costs $50
• Calls are placed through a double-blind process, ensuring neither party knows the other person’s actual telephone number
• Clarity verifies the credentials of its experts using LinkedIn
• Experts have the option to donate their earnings directly to charity

What we liked:

• Clarity gives young entrepreneurs a way to find mentors in their industries
• People can get answers to specific business questions before making any decisions
• Clarity has experts in virtually every professional field
• Members who submit their business “challenges” to Clarity can get specific recommendations on the experts who may be able to help

What we didn’t like:

• People who don’t enjoy talking on the phone might prefer to connect with Clarity’s experts via email

Alternatives:

• None

Company Info:

• Launched: May 2012
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California
• Founded by: Dan Martell
• Web site: http://clarity.fm

Costs:

• Clarity experts set their own rates
• Clarity charges 15% of the fee collected from each call