Building a startup is like trying to do ten full-time jobs at once. You’re running product, hiring, pitching investors, fixing bugs, tweeting updates, and maybe even making coffee. It’s no surprise that most founders feel stretched super thin.
But you don’t have to do it all alone.
Smart founders know how to get help — especially from people who’ve been through it all before. Startup advisors are like cheat codes. They save you time, help you avoid dumb mistakes, and give you clarity when things get messy.
Here are some real tips straight from startup business advisors, startup strategy consultants, and fundraising pros that’ll help you get more done without burning out.
1. Pick Your Top 3 Priorities — and Ditch the Rest
If everything feels urgent, nothing really is. The first thing a good startup advisor will tell you is: get clear on what matters most right now.
Trying to launch five features, fundraise, hire three roles, go viral on TikTok, and pitch VCs all in one quarter? That’s a recipe for chaos.
Instead, focus on 2-3 goals per quarter that actually move the needle. It could be growing your user base, closing a round, or hitting product-market fit. Say no to stuff that doesn’t serve those goals.
Time-saving tip: Use a simple “Impact vs. Effort” chart. Rank your tasks and double down on high-impact, low-effort wins.
2. Don’t DIY Everything — Outsource Smartly
Founders wear a lot of hats. But you shouldn’t try to do everything yourself — especially when others can do it faster and better.
Pitch decks, investor outreach, financial models — these are all areas where you can bring in experts. A startup fundraising consultant or someone who offers pitch deck creation services can take a ton of stress off your plate and help you raise smarter.
Also, there are startup advisory services that handle strategic stuff like go-to-market plans, hiring roadmaps, or pricing models. Instead of googling for hours or guessing, you get actual playbooks that save time and avoid rookie mistakes.
Time-saving tip: Ask other founders who they used for fundraising or startup strategy consulting. The best referrals come from people just a few steps ahead of you.
3. Use Templates for Everything
Doing something for the first time? Document it.
Doing it again? Use a template.
You’d be surprised how much time you lose rewriting the same investor update, customer email, or sales pitch from scratch. Advisors recommend creating templates for anything you do more than twice.
Templates worth having:
- Cold outreach emails to investors
- Team onboarding checklist
- Weekly team update format
- Content calendar layout
Time-saving tip: Store these in Notion or Google Docs so your team can access and reuse them easily.
4. Build a “Mini-Board” of Advisors
You don’t need a massive advisory board. But having 2-3 experienced people who can jump on quick calls when you’re stuck? Game changer.
Great startup business advisors won’t just tell you what to do — they’ll help you think through stuff logically, and help you avoid wasting months on bad strategies.
They might help you test pricing faster, warn you if your pitch deck is confusing, or connect you to the perfect hire.
Time-saving tip: Set up a 30-minute monthly catch-up with each advisor. Keep it focused: updates, key decisions, and asks.
5. Automate the Boring Stuff
If you’re still sending calendar links manually or copying data into spreadsheets every week… stop. Just automate it.
Startup advisors are big fans of using tech to save founders from low-value busywork. You don’t need to be super technical to use tools like:
- Calendly for meeting scheduling
- Zapier to connect apps (like sending Slack alerts when a lead signs up)
- CRM automations to follow up with leads or investors
Time-saving tip: Once a month, review your week and ask: “What did I do that a tool could’ve done for me?”
6. Be a Pro at Saying “No”
Let’s be real — founders get so many requests. Coffee chats, podcast invites, intro calls, random LinkedIn DMs… it adds up.
One of the most underrated skills startup advisors teach is learning to say “no” — politely but firmly.
Your time is your most valuable asset. Don’t give it away too easily.
Time-saving tip: Create a few “kind decline” message templates (like, “Thanks so much — I’m heads down on product right now but will circle back when I can.”). Copy-paste guilt-free.
7. Use Time Blocks Like a Pro
Instead of reacting to everything that pops up, try structuring your week in time blocks. It’s like giving your brain dedicated zones to focus.
Here’s a basic setup:
- Monday: Team sync + planning
- Tues-Weds: Deep work (no meetings)
- Thursday: External stuff (investors, partners, sales)
- Friday: Wrap up, metrics, chill vibes
This helps you protect your deep focus time while still handling all the external noise.
Time-saving tip: Put “focus blocks” on your calendar and treat them like unmissable meetings. No distractions allowed.
8. Keep Investor Updates Short and Regular
Fundraising can eat your entire life if you’re not careful. One way to keep investors off your back and reduce random requests? Send consistent updates.
Startup fundraising consultants often tell founders to start investor updates before they even raise money. It builds trust, keeps people warm, and avoids dozens of “Hey, can we catch up?” calls later.
What to include:
- Key wins
- Numbers (users, revenue, burn)
- Asks (hires, intros, advice)
Time-saving tip: Use the same update format every time. And if you’re raising, build a mini data room early — it’ll save weeks during diligence.
9. Fundraise in Short, Intense Sprints
Dragging out a fundraise for 6+ months is brutal. It kills your momentum, distracts your team, and stresses you out.
Instead, startup advisors recommend running short, focused fundraising sprints. Prep hard, line up your meetings, and pitch like crazy for 4-6 weeks. Then get back to building.
Using pitch deck creation services or a fundraising consultant can help you tighten your story and hit the ground running.
Time-saving tip: Don’t take meetings until you’ve nailed your narrative, deck, and numbers. First impressions matter.
10. Track What Actually Matters
Not all metrics are created equal. Likes and followers are cool, but they won’t pay your team.
A good startup strategy consultant will help you focus on your North Star — the one metric that truly shows if you’re growing. For some, it’s weekly active users. For others, it’s revenue or retention.
Once you pick it, track it obsessively.
Time-saving tip: Set a weekly team meeting where you only talk about the 3-5 metrics that actually reflect progress. Ignore the fluff.
Final Thoughts
Founders don’t get bonus points for doing it the hard way. The smartest ones look for shortcuts — the right shortcuts — that save time without cutting corners.
Whether it’s getting help with your pitch deck, bringing in a fundraising expert, or using startup advisory services to get clear on strategy, outside support can free up your time and boost your chances of winning.
Time is your most limited currency. Spend it on the things only you can do — and get help for the rest.
