[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3pnda2tyljdwi":3,"$f1fn4bvlmx2a6v":232,"page-template:\u002Farticles\u002Flearn-how-to-ask:{}":253},{"content":4,"navigationFallbacksEnabled":35,"previewEnvironmentEnabled":35},{"siteKey":5,"siteName":6,"tagline":7,"seo":8,"errorPage":21,"customSettings":36,"globals":41},"darden-report","Darden Report","News and knowledge from the UVA Darden School of Business.",{"title":9,"description":10,"image":11},"Darden Report - The Latest News and Ideas from UVA Darden School of Business","The Darden Report offers the latest news, research, and stories about the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.",{"src":12,"alt":13,"aspectRatio":14,"width":15,"height":16,"bynderDat":17},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002F189175de-2440-489a-939e-91d6f7e7989a\u002FGoodwin-Grounds-autumn","goodwin grounds","6048 \u002F 4024",6048,4024,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":19,"name":20},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu","189175de-2440-489a-939e-91d6f7e7989a","Goodwin-Grounds-autumn",{"statusLabel":22,"title":23,"summaryBeforeHomeLink":24,"homeLinkLabel":25,"homeHref":26,"summaryAfterHomeLink":27,"searchEnabled":28,"searchLabel":29,"searchPlaceholder":30,"seo":31},"Error 404","Wa-who?","We cannot locate a page at this address. Try searching using the input below or starting from the ","homepage","\u002F",".",true,"Search Darden Report","Search...",{"title":32,"description":33,"robots":34},"Page Not Found",null,{"noindex":28,"nofollow":35},false,{"algoliaEngagement":37},{"activeSeconds":38,"scrollRatio":39,"idleSeconds":40,"mediaPercent":38},20,0.5,60,{"masthead":42,"menuOverlay":58,"footer":191},{"homeHref":26,"tagline":7,"topicsLabel":43,"subscribeLabel":44,"menuLabel":45,"searchLabel":46,"topics":47},"Trending","Subscribe","Open menu","Open search",[48,50,52,54,56],{"label":49,"href":26},"Tariffs Q&A",{"label":51,"href":26},"AI Datacenters",{"label":53,"href":26},"Productivity Boom",{"label":55,"href":26},"CES 2026",{"label":57,"href":26},"Colorado Water Rights",{"overlayLabel":59,"homeHref":26,"tagline":7,"quickLinks":60,"topicsLabel":61,"topics":62,"browseLabel":120,"browseLinks":121,"connectLabel":153,"connectLinks":154,"registerLabel":171,"registerCta":172,"searchLabel":29,"searchPlaceholder":30,"searchSubmitLabel":189,"closeLabel":190},"Site menu",[],"Topics",[63,70,76,82,88,94,101,108,114],{"id":64,"label":65,"href":66,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":67,"imageSrc":68,"imageAlt":69},"2PGBfQ54OTbNUe92lTxC30","Artificial Intelligence","\u002Ftopics\u002Fartificial-intelligence","Research and expert perspective on intelligent systems, automation, and the changing economics of decision-making. Darden faculty explore how organizations can evaluate emerging tools, govern responsible adoption, and use AI to improve judgment, productivity, customer value, and competitive advantage without losing sight of people and institutional trust.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Feadee323-faa1-436f-979b-40761fb64624\u002FAI-Primary-Topic-Vertical","Surreal AI-Generated Cosmic Landscape – Generative AI, Art and Human Creativity",{"id":71,"label":72,"href":73,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":74,"imageSrc":75,"imageAlt":72},"7hvQgsg6I0A9QRkXKcNJrN","Data & Analytics","\u002Ftopics\u002Fdata-analytics","Data & Analysis examines how leaders turn information into sharper questions, stronger evidence, and better decisions. Darden insights cover analytics, experimentation, forecasting, risk, and interpretation, helping organizations separate signal from noise and translate complex findings into practical choices across strategy, operations, markets, and society.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fbbea14b9-cfe3-415b-bcab-f97f753f6c54\u002FData-Analytics-Primary-Topic",{"id":77,"label":78,"href":79,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":80,"imageSrc":81,"imageAlt":78},"7hztN5kb1RdsP9iGiC05dV","Entrepreneurship","\u002Ftopics\u002Fentrepreneurship","Economic and social advancement require leaders who embrace an entrepreneurial outlook and a commitment to innovation. Darden thought leadership emphasizes that an entrepreneurial mindset is about more than starting a new business venture; it encompasses the opportunity-seizing and action-oriented behavior essential for sustained growth in organizations of all sizes.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fa8e8e5fe-f1d5-478b-8877-31b8b0c43f0c\u002FThe-Importance-of-Courage",{"id":83,"label":84,"href":85,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":86,"imageSrc":87,"imageAlt":84},"2dPcCN1FQ26ZIFcvdIsh4","Global Economies & Markets","\u002Ftopics\u002Fglobal-economies-markets","Faculty insight on trade, markets, policy, global business, and economic change. This topic connects macroeconomic forces with organizational decisions, examining how leaders navigate uncertainty, regulation, capital flows, geopolitical shifts, and cross-border opportunity while building resilient institutions in markets that are increasingly interdependent.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fd6db5e0d-c0fe-4e51-8f38-5e995d232d04\u002FA-Quick-Queue-or-a-Long-One-Waiting-in-Line-Around-the-World",{"id":89,"label":90,"href":91,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":92,"imageSrc":93,"imageAlt":90},"7mgp2vBjTofDsgB34ap4nb","Ethics & Society","\u002Ftopics\u002Fbusiness-ethics-society","The multidisciplinary study of Business, Ethics & Society focuses on sustaining, growing and sharing value, not just for businesses and their shareholders, but for stakeholders and the societies in which they operate. This vein of study encompasses ethical decision-making, examination of how business can and does impact society, implications for policy, principles of moral and institutional leadership, and the tenets of stakeholder theory.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F326ec289-e377-49ca-81ff-8a78a16d7e6d\u002FEthics-and-Society-Primary-Topic",{"id":95,"label":96,"href":97,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":98,"imageSrc":99,"imageAlt":100},"18nXfYyrV3JAT3y57GWhcK","Leadership & Management","\u002Ftopics\u002Fleadership-management","Practical research for leading teams, organizations, culture, and change. Darden thought leadership explores how managers build trust, make difficult decisions, communicate purpose, develop talent, and guide people through uncertainty while sustaining performance and strengthening the human systems that make organizations work.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F6557a226-8bac-44d0-83c1-0efdfe88b396\u002F11-Key-Characteristics-of-a-Global-Business-Leader","various colors of blocks stand in an equality and inclusive space, in the style of precisionism influence, silhouette figures, superimposed text, nul group, disfigured forms, miniature illumination, consumer culture critique --ar 128:85 --stylize 50 --v 6 Job ID: 2731b55d-e2b8-4468-81be-bb16e507686f",{"id":102,"label":103,"href":104,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":105,"imageSrc":106,"imageAlt":107},"5JMdm6cuNXm8p9L15kOLSX","Marketing & Sales","\u002Ftopics\u002Fmarketing-sales","Ideas for understanding customers, building markets, and communicating value. This topic examines consumer behavior, brand strategy, sales effectiveness, pricing, segmentation, and digital channels, helping leaders connect insight to action and create relationships that support growth across changing audiences and competitive environments.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F146f2b70-b04a-4495-853d-c5b78196f276\u002FMarketing-Primary-Topic","Marketing Primary Topic",{"id":109,"label":110,"href":111,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":112,"imageSrc":113,"imageAlt":110},"siVfdjcE5Xfd4pbT1jeWD","Operations & Technology","\u002Ftopics\u002Foperations-technology","Research on systems, digital operations, supply chains, and technology-enabled performance. Darden faculty examine how organizations design processes, manage complexity, improve reliability, and use new tools to create efficient, adaptable operations that support strategy, customer experience, and long-term organizational resilience.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Ff36239ad-c7bf-46fe-93b2-e6df18cb2fef\u002FOperations-Technology-Primary-Topic",{"id":115,"label":116,"href":117,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":118,"imageSrc":119,"imageAlt":116},"4NDEiXoxAt8TlDGLBWYCqu","Strategy","\u002Ftopics\u002Fstrategy","Frameworks and evidence for competition, growth, transformation, and long-term enterprise decisions. Strategy insights from Darden help leaders assess where to play, how to win, when to change course, and how to allocate resources in ways that create durable advantage amid uncertainty.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Ff8c81a7f-2b2c-4d37-964e-84382b3b1ef5\u002FBeyond-Strategy-3-Lessons-and-4-Ingredients-of-Execution","Browse",[122,126,130,134,138,142,145,149],{"id":123,"label":124,"href":125,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"49UXns6sWSYS1QfelJsnUS","Articles","\u002Farticles",{"id":127,"label":128,"href":129,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"5h02IsSCwqwqdvAeEfC2uq","Podcasts","\u002Fpodcasts",{"id":131,"label":132,"href":133,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"3i2eJKSFhZolFdIe3c6t5V","Videos","\u002Fvideos",{"id":135,"label":136,"href":137,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"7x4aolsVH0DQFMby9iunAJ","Media Features","\u002Fmedia-features",{"id":139,"label":140,"href":141,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"3rM0mhH3WJY4ThjFiyfnoV","Experts","\u002Fexpert\u002Fdirectory",{"id":143,"label":44,"href":144,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"1pq8d8gTugtnM0goPxBXVR","#subscribe",{"id":146,"label":147,"href":148,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2G9kuRukBaUj9ddCJur1rC","Give","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.givecampus.com\u002Fcampaigns\u002F20048\u002Fdonations\u002Fnew",{"id":150,"label":151,"href":152,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"1ql3y6NAQuUglXnn3dKJPy","About","\u002Fabout","Connect with Darden",[155,159,163,167],{"id":156,"label":157,"href":158,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2EPrW3IELdCZUN4AdZc5aU","Facebook","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FDardenMBA",{"id":160,"label":161,"href":162,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"382CfbeZQiqklJrRmCGew4","Instagram","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fdardenmba\u002F",{"id":164,"label":165,"href":166,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"5IPd9qziZHiSSLmZ9ypypW","LinkedIn","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fedu\u002Fschool?id=19605",{"id":168,"label":169,"href":170,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"5DpGLgbQS541wvmzk7yAn4","YouTube","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fuser\u002FDardenMBA","Featured Event",{"id":173,"href":174,"external":28,"accessibleLabel":175,"openInNewWindow":28,"image":176,"date":185,"startDateTime":186,"endDateTime":187,"title":188},"2OftuuWa4o3t7636QVklXu","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fexecutive-education\u002Fthe-executive-program","Learn More About the Program",{"src":177,"alt":178,"aspectRatio":179,"width":180,"height":180,"bynderDat":181},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fbdb3b0e3-245c-4d82-99a3-fac606db94f6\u002FPLE-20th-Anniversary-Conference","The PLE conference at the Darden School of Business. Photo\u002FAndrew Shurtleff Photography, LLC","1 \u002F 1",700,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":182,"name":183,"preset":184},"bdb3b0e3-245c-4d82-99a3-fac606db94f6","PLE-20th-Anniversary-Conference","square-medium","Oct 6, 2026-May 7, 2027","2026-10-06","2027-05-07","The Executive Program: Advanced Management","Submit search","Close menu",{"homeHref":26,"links":192,"subscribeHeading":227,"subscribeLabel":44,"imageSrc":228,"imageAlt":229,"institutionalLabel":230,"copyright":231},[193,197,201,204,207,211,214,217,219,223],{"id":194,"label":195,"href":196,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"6GCwvduoNlDEeO6nq1laFq","For The Media","\u002Ffor-the-media",{"id":198,"label":199,"href":200,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2lqtlsCRCghroHk8jgcCi0","Publications","https:\u002F\u002Fstore.darden.virginia.edu\u002F",{"id":202,"label":203,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"4rcubVXgLnQBYxJ833G7DO","Press Releases",{"id":205,"label":206,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"6ColvvcR2M2zggiQQ0l965","In the Media",{"id":208,"label":209,"href":210,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"61sOurYMjR8U4mU5omcUjP","Apply to Darden","https:\u002F\u002Fapply.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fapply\u002F",{"id":212,"label":213,"href":148,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"563xnF7I5F2UYWYwJc5eXE","Support Darden",{"id":215,"label":216,"href":152,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"2BySyFumqkDGPDVmTtMYai","Contact Us",{"id":218,"label":151,"href":152,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"4QSVOSvmRnltRwfr5rLoSS",{"id":220,"label":221,"href":222,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"75C0Q1ojWWmESgYLsm9bQk","Privacy Policy","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fprivacy-policy-copyright",{"id":224,"label":225,"href":226,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"35rcom3AAkYzApoNSavl1g","Search Darden","\u002Fsearch","Get Darden news, research, and thought leadership in your inbox.","\u002Fimages\u002Fdarden-report-footer.png","Autumn foliage over a brick courtyard at the UVA Darden School of Business.","UVA Darden School of Business","Copyright ©2026 The Rector and Visitors Of The University Of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.",{"enabled":28,"complete":28,"capacity":233,"label":43,"stale":35,"items":234},4,[235,241,245,249],{"contentId":236,"contentType":237,"label":238,"href":239,"source":240},"6MHbMLocipfho9cm5jLxHM","article","The Economic Scenarios of…","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-economic-scenarios-of-transformative-ai-a-wide-range-of-possibilities-for-jobs-and-gdp-by-2030","algolia",{"contentId":242,"contentType":237,"label":243,"href":244,"source":240},"3IO50DiUrQm8ML20joajCL","Defense Innovation at Darden","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-business-of-national-defense-is-changing-so-is-the-classroom",{"contentId":246,"contentType":237,"label":247,"href":248,"source":240},"23Pz69HrBYAP3sxJeeaNpU","Hiba Anwar’s Fellowship","\u002Farticles\u002Fhiba-anwar-freeland-franklin-fellowship",{"contentId":250,"contentType":237,"label":251,"href":252,"source":240},"2GBmzAadCKzwTWJggqmArB","Christopher Fuller Named CMCO","\u002Farticles\u002Fchristopher-fuller-named-chief-marketing-and-communications-officer-at-uva-darden",{"path":254,"template":255,"content":256,"context":686},"\u002Farticles\u002Flearn-how-to-ask","articlePage",{"id":257,"title":258,"slug":259,"path":254,"modifiedAt":260,"summary":261,"publishedDate":266,"topics":269,"authors":272,"insightsFrom":279,"topper":297,"bodyBlocks":318,"outro":637,"seo":679},"1VMTyg9281ggZsCH5LWXEa","Stop Perfecting Your Pitch Deck. Start Learning How to Ask.","learn-how-to-ask","2026-08-20T17:08:24.261Z",{"plainText":262,"inlines":263},"Entrepreneurship runs on asking. From testing ideas to securing customers and partners, progress depends on a founder’s ability to ask well. This isn’t a soft skill — it’s the core competency behind every venture. Here’s a practical guide to what to ask, whom to ask and how to ask effectively.",[264],{"type":265,"value":262},"text",{"display":267,"dateTime":268},"12 January 2026","2026-01-12",[270],{"id":271,"label":78,"href":79},"entrepreneurship",[273],{"id":274,"name":275,"title":276,"href":277,"profileType":278},"6VYjt9zcFb8qJJdNrulPIQ","Gosia Glinska","Associate Director for Translational Research - Batten Institute","\u002Fpeople\u002Fgosia-glinska","person",[280,292],{"id":281,"name":282,"title":283,"href":284,"profileType":285,"image":286,"bio":291},"4DijYsmKsZJkeMsAvMX7DL","Saras D. Sarasvathy","Paul M. Hammaker Professor Emerita in Business Administration; Academic Director, Batten Institute; Jamuna Raghavan Chair Professor in Entrepreneurship, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore","\u002Fexpert\u002Fdirectory\u002Fsaras-d-sarasvathy","faculty",{"src":287,"alt":288,"aspectRatio":289,"width":290,"height":290},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fasset\u002Fd4bc7c31-3697-45ae-a69a-e5b28b2182ba\u002Fthumbnail\u002Fwebimage-Saras-Sarasvathy_Headshot_1_1400x1400_preferred","preferred headshots","1400 \u002F 1400",1400,"Sarasvathy is a leading scholar on the cognitive basis for high-performance entrepreneurship. Her work pioneered the logic of effectuation, a set of teachable and learnable principles used by expert entrepreneurs to build enduring ventures.",{"id":293,"name":294,"title":295,"href":296,"profileType":278},"3jZzmo9kkbbQef78OoRfP6","Tiago Ratinho","Visiting Research Professor","\u002Fpeople\u002Ftiago-ratinho",{"id":298,"variant":299,"title":258,"subheadline":33,"topic":300,"image":301,"mastheadTheme":317},"1VMTyg9281ggZsCH5LWXEa-topper","full",{"id":271,"label":78,"href":79},{"src":302,"alt":303,"aspectRatio":304,"width":305,"height":306,"bynderDat":307,"mobile":311},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fwidescreen-large\u002Fdd46c73d-34a9-48d7-8d7a-1edf5f9be888\u002FAsk-for-Feedback-Advice-and-Partners-Entrepreneurship-Networking-and-Startup-Success","Ask for Feedback, Advice and Partners – Entrepreneurship, Networking and Startup Success","16 \u002F 9",2560,1440,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":308,"name":309,"preset":310},"dd46c73d-34a9-48d7-8d7a-1edf5f9be888","Ask-for-Feedback-Advice-and-Partners-Entrepreneurship-Networking-and-Startup-Success","widescreen-large",{"src":312,"alt":303,"aspectRatio":313,"width":314,"height":315,"bynderDat":316},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fdd46c73d-34a9-48d7-8d7a-1edf5f9be888\u002FAsk-for-Feedback-Advice-and-Partners-Entrepreneurship-Networking-and-Startup-Success","50 \u002F 73",1000,1460,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":308,"name":309},"light",[319],{"id":320,"contentType":321,"region":322,"render":323},"1VMTyg9281ggZsCH5LWXEa-body-0","richText","body",{"component":324,"props":325},"RichTextBlock",{"content":326},{"blocks":327},[328,334,339,344,349,369,378,383,388,393,398,403,408,416,424,432,440,445,450,455,463,471,479,484,489,494,499,504,509,514,519,524,529,560,565,570,578,586,594,602,607,612,617,622,627],{"type":329,"content":330},"paragraph",[331],{"type":265,"value":332,"marks":333},"If you watch “Shark Tank,” you’ve seen founders ask investors for cash in exchange for a bite of their business. But those rehearsed polished pitches that have come to epitomize entrepreneurship in popular culture represent a sliver of the requests founders make while launching new ventures. ",[],{"type":329,"content":335},[336],{"type":265,"value":337,"marks":338},"“Asking is not just about requesting resources,” says Darden professor Saras Sarasvathy, an authority on high-performance entrepreneurship. “Every entrepreneurial activity — from testing ideas and getting legal advice to finding customers and reliable suppliers — depends on asking.”",[],{"type":329,"content":340},[341],{"type":265,"value":342,"marks":343},"Sarasvathy defines an ask as an “entrepreneurial interaction consisting of three components: an asker, an askee, and the possibility of a venturing relationship.” Her research shows that a founder’s ability to ask, and to do it well, is not just another skill. It is the core competency that makes everything else possible.",[],{"type":329,"content":345},[346],{"type":265,"value":347,"marks":348},"Unfortunately, novice entrepreneurs struggle with asking and tend to default to conventional but less effective approaches. “They often focus on building pitch decks and writing business plans because business schools emphasize those methods,” says Sarasvathy. ",[],{"type":329,"content":350},[351,354,358,361,366],{"type":265,"value":352,"marks":353},"The good news is that asking is a learnable skill that improves with practice. To help founders develop this capability, Sarasvathy’s longtime collaborator and visiting research professor at Darden, Tiago Ratinho, along with Heidi Neck, Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Babson College, wrote ",[],{"type":265,"value":355,"marks":356},"“",[357],"italic",{"type":265,"value":359,"marks":360},"Dare to Ask!” published in ",[],{"type":362,"value":363,"href":364,"external":28,"marks":365},"link","Developing Entrepreneurial Mindsets, Ideas, and Opportunities: A Guide for Educators","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.elgaronline.com\u002Fedcollbook\u002Fbook\u002F9781035314119\u002F9781035314119.xml",[357],{"type":265,"value":367,"marks":368},". Their article offers practical tips on what to ask for, whom to approach, and how to frame requests effectively.",[],{"type":370,"id":371,"level":372,"content":373},"heading","start-with-what-not-how-much",3,[374],{"type":265,"value":375,"marks":376},"Start With What, Not How Much",[377],"bold",{"type":329,"content":379},[380],{"type":265,"value":381,"marks":382},"When aspiring entrepreneurs think about resources, they typically jump straight to money. But this narrow focus can paralyze progress, notes Ratinho. Before you've validated your concept, built relationships with potential customers, or understood your market, obsessing over funding makes little sense.",[],{"type":329,"content":384},[385],{"type":265,"value":386,"marks":387},"In “Dare to Ask!” Ratinho and Neck give examples of early actions of successful founders that didn’t revolve around asking for money. ",[],{"type":329,"content":389},[390],{"type":265,"value":391,"marks":392},"Reed Hastings of Netflix didn't raise millions before testing his concept — he mailed DVD packages from various California locations to see which ones survived USPS shipping. Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky launched Airbnb with a simple webpage listing their own reconfigured living room. Stanley Tang validated DoorDash by going door-to-door in Palo Alto, talking to small business owners about unfulfilled delivery orders. ",[],{"type":329,"content":394},[395],{"type":265,"value":396,"marks":397},"None of those critical early steps required outside funding or any funding at all. What those entrepreneurs needed early on was information, feedback and access. ",[],{"type":329,"content":399},[400],{"type":265,"value":401,"marks":402},"What to Ask For: Focusing on Specific Relation-Driven Resources",[377],{"type":329,"content":404},[405],{"type":265,"value":406,"marks":407},"According to Ratinho, your early stage asks should focus on four categories of resources:",[],{"type":329,"content":409},[410,413],{"type":265,"value":411,"marks":412},"Transactional resources with low commitment, which",[357],{"type":265,"value":414,"marks":415}," include advice, information and feedback. These are one-time interactions that don't require the provider to have skin in your game. Ask a designer about prototyping options. Request a lawyer's perspective on intellectual property basics. Seek opinions from potential customers about the problem you're solving.",[],{"type":329,"content":417},[418,421],{"type":265,"value":419,"marks":420},"Ongoing support without major commitment, which",[357],{"type":265,"value":422,"marks":423}," encompasses mentorship, coaching and regular guidance. These relationships provide sustained help without requiring the provider to commit significant resources. University incubators, industry mentorship programs and advisory networks often fall into this category.",[],{"type":329,"content":425},[426,429],{"type":265,"value":427,"marks":428},"Transactional resources with high commitment, which",[357],{"type":265,"value":430,"marks":431}," include formal investments, grants and subsidies. Here, providers commit substantial resources, but the relationship remains primarily transactional. Angel investments and government grants fit this category.",[],{"type":329,"content":433},[434,437],{"type":265,"value":435,"marks":436},"Ongoing relationships with high commitment, which",[357],{"type":265,"value":438,"marks":439}," represent the ultimate goal: paying customers, reliable suppliers, co-founders, and long-term partners. These stakeholders have both invested resources and established, ongoing relationships with your venture.",[],{"type":329,"content":441},[442],{"type":265,"value":443,"marks":444},"A balanced ask-list should span all four categories, says Ratinho. If you're only seeking low-commitment resources, you're likely staying within your comfort zone. If you're disproportionately focused on high-commitment asks, you may be moving too fast for your stage of development.",[],{"type":329,"content":446},[447],{"type":265,"value":448,"marks":449},"Whom to Ask: Map Your Network Strategically",[377],{"type":329,"content":451},[452],{"type":265,"value":453,"marks":454},"Once you've identified what you need, the question becomes: whom should you ask? This requires honest assessment of your network across three levels: first-order connections, second-order connections and strangers.",[],{"type":329,"content":456},[457,460],{"type":265,"value":458,"marks":459},"First-order connections",[357],{"type":265,"value":461,"marks":462}," are people you know directly — family, close friends, classmates, current colleagues, and others in your immediate circle. These relationships offer the easiest access but may lack the specific resources you need.",[],{"type":329,"content":464},[465,468],{"type":265,"value":466,"marks":467},"Second-order connections",[357],{"type":265,"value":469,"marks":470}," are people your first-order contacts know and could realistically introduce you to. This is where your network becomes exponentially more valuable. That former professor might know the exact manufacturing expert you need. Your college roommate's parent could work in your target industry.",[],{"type":329,"content":472},[473,476],{"type":265,"value":474,"marks":475},"Strangers",[357],{"type":265,"value":477,"marks":478}," are people completely outside your network. While reaching out to strangers feels intimidating, many successful entrepreneurs built their networks from scratch. The key is being strategic about which strangers to approach and how.",[],{"type":329,"content":480},[481],{"type":265,"value":482,"marks":483},"Take an honest inventory of your ask list. If most of your potential askees are strangers or celebrities unlikely to respond, you need to either adjust your asks to match your network or commit to systematically expanding your connections.",[],{"type":329,"content":485},[486],{"type":265,"value":487,"marks":488},"Consider reframing your needs. Instead of “I need a trademark lawyer” (which might require reaching out to a stranger), think “I need legal advice on trademarks from law faculty at my university” (which could tap into second-order connections). Rather than “I need a software engineer” (generic stranger), try “I need coding help from recent graduates in computer science” (accessible through alumni networks).",[],{"type":329,"content":490},[491],{"type":265,"value":492,"marks":493},"How to Ask: Master the Art of the Open-Ended Ask",[377],{"type":329,"content":495},[496],{"type":265,"value":497,"marks":498},"How you frame your request matters as much as what you request and whom you ask. Most aspiring entrepreneurs make a critical mistake: they structure their asks as closed yes-or-no questions that box in both parties.",[],{"type":329,"content":500},[501],{"type":265,"value":502,"marks":503},"Consider a typical pitch ending: “Will you invest $10,000 in our company?” This approach makes several problematic assumptions. It assumes the listener wants to be an investor. It assumes $10,000 is the right amount. It assumes cash investment is the best form of help. Most importantly, it forces a binary decision that's easy to decline.",[],{"type":329,"content":505},[506],{"type":265,"value":507,"marks":508},"The alternative? Use open-ended questions that invite dialogue and broaden the range of possibilities. For example, asking, “What would it take for you to help me build this prototype?” shifts the dynamic entirely by avoiding a simple yes-or-no response and prompting a more constructive conversation.",[],{"type":329,"content":510},[511],{"type":265,"value":512,"marks":513},"This approach works for three reasons. First, it expands the opportunity space. The person in front of you might not want to invest $10,000, but they could connect you to a makerspace, introduce you to someone who could redesign your product more cheaply, or offer resources you haven't considered.",[],{"type":329,"content":515},[516],{"type":265,"value":517,"marks":518},"Second, it eliminates assumptions. You might think someone wants equity returns when they're actually more interested in lasting social impact. You might assume someone has no relevant connections when they're connected to exactly the right people.",[],{"type":329,"content":520},[521],{"type":265,"value":522,"marks":523},"Third, it starts a dialogue rather than triggering a transaction. Instead of negotiating terms you've proposed, you're exploring how you might work together on terms they find acceptable.",[],{"type":329,"content":525},[526],{"type":265,"value":527,"marks":528},"Other effective open-ended phrases include:",[],{"type":530,"items":531},"unorderedList",[532,539,546,553],{"blocks":533},[534],{"type":329,"content":535},[536],{"type":265,"value":537,"marks":538},"“How can I make this a win for you?”",[],{"blocks":540},[541],{"type":329,"content":542},[543],{"type":265,"value":544,"marks":545},"“What hoops do I need to jump through to get you on board?”",[],{"blocks":547},[548],{"type":329,"content":549},[550],{"type":265,"value":551,"marks":552},"“What would you do if you were in my shoes?”",[],{"blocks":554},[555],{"type":329,"content":556},[557],{"type":265,"value":558,"marks":559},"“What are possible ways we could work together?”",[],{"type":329,"content":561},[562],{"type":265,"value":563,"marks":564},"Take Action Systematically",[377],{"type":329,"content":566},[567],{"type":265,"value":568,"marks":569},"Understanding these principles is valuable, but improvement comes through deliberate practice. Treat asking as a skill you develop through repetition and feedback, just as athletes improve through drills.",[],{"type":329,"content":571},[572,575],{"type":265,"value":573,"marks":574},"Start with low-stakes asks to build confidence",[357],{"type":265,"value":576,"marks":577},". Request informational interviews from second-order connections. Ask classmates for feedback on your pitch. Seek advice from professors or program coordinators. Each successful ask builds your comfort level for more challenging requests.",[],{"type":329,"content":579},[580,583],{"type":265,"value":581,"marks":582},"Set concrete targets for network expansion",[357],{"type":265,"value":584,"marks":585},". One approach: attend four networking events per year, send ten thoughtful LinkedIn invitations monthly, and strike up conversations with strangers in appropriate settings. The specific numbers matter less than creating a consistent practice.",[],{"type":329,"content":587},[588,591],{"type":265,"value":589,"marks":590},"Focus on actionable outcomes",[357],{"type":265,"value":592,"marks":593},". Rather than collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections, aim to secure specific next steps from each conversation: an introduction to someone specific, feedback by a certain date, or agreement to reconnect after you've completed a particular milestone.",[],{"type":329,"content":595},[596,599],{"type":265,"value":597,"marks":598},"Identify multipliers in your network ",[357],{"type":265,"value":600,"marks":601},"— individuals with extensive connections and high credibility who can amplify your reach. These might be successful alumni, well-connected mentors, or active community leaders. Building strong relationships with a few multipliers can open doors to dozens of valuable connections.",[],{"type":329,"content":603},[604],{"type":265,"value":605,"marks":606},"The Path Forward",[377],{"type":329,"content":608},[609],{"type":265,"value":610,"marks":611},"Becoming comfortable with asking doesn't happen overnight. You'll feel awkward. You'll hear “no” frequently. But each ask provides immediate feedback and builds your skill.",[],{"type":329,"content":613},[614],{"type":265,"value":615,"marks":616},"Remember that entrepreneurs who excel at asking become better entrepreneurs overall. It's through asking that they attract mentors, enroll partners, win customers and secure financing. The ventures that succeed aren't necessarily those with the best initial ideas — they're often those whose founders most effectively mobilized resources by asking for what they needed.",[],{"type":329,"content":618},[619],{"type":265,"value":620,"marks":621},"“Your next step is simple,” says Ratinho. “Identify your five most immediate needs, determine whom to ask, and craft open-ended requests that invite dialogue. Then make your first ask today.” ",[],{"type":329,"content":623},[624],{"type":265,"value":625,"marks":626},"The only way to get better at asking is to start asking.",[],{"type":329,"content":628},[629,632,635],{"type":265,"value":630,"marks":631},"You can find more practical insights about asking in “Dare to Ask!” a chapter written by Tiago Ratinho and Heidi Neck in ",[357],{"type":362,"value":633,"href":364,"external":28,"marks":634},"Developing Entrepreneurial Mindsets, Ideas, and Opportunities : A Guide for Educators",[357],{"type":265,"value":27,"marks":636},[],{"tags":638,"pressContact":643,"bios":673},{"topics":639,"storyType":641},[640],{"id":271,"label":78,"href":79},{"label":642,"href":125},"Article",{"id":644,"heading":645,"body":646,"image":656,"action":664,"contactLabel":666,"contactId":667,"contactName":668,"contactTitle":669,"contactEmail":670},"1JXqEbL3azVV5umnM8ChNj","About UVA Darden School of Business",{"blocks":647},[648,652],{"type":329,"content":649},[650],{"type":265,"value":651},"The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences.",{"type":329,"content":653},[654],{"type":265,"value":655},"Darden's graduate degree programs and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact.",{"src":657,"alt":658,"aspectRatio":659,"width":660,"height":661,"bynderDat":662},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fc88de114-fc91-4aa8-b801-2e987f7a4a22\u002FDarden_Spring_Environmental_Spring_25_Saunders_Hall_20","Darden_Spring_Environmental_Spring_25_Saunders_Hall_20","8354 \u002F 5569",8354,5569,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":663,"name":658},"c88de114-fc91-4aa8-b801-2e987f7a4a22",{"label":665,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"Learn More","Press Contact","2KGmVfjHQigGuWjTI4aCKw","Lauren Foster","Senor Director of Communications",{"label":671,"href":672},"fosterl@darden.virginia.edu","mailto:fosterl@darden.virginia.edu",[674],{"id":281,"name":282,"title":283,"body":291,"image":675,"action":676},{"src":287,"alt":288,"aspectRatio":289,"width":290,"height":290},{"label":677,"href":284,"accessibleLabel":678},"Read more","Read more about Saras D. Sarasvathy",{"title":258,"description":262,"image":680},{"src":681,"alt":303,"aspectRatio":682,"width":683,"height":684,"bynderDat":685},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fwidescreen-large\u002Fdd46c73d-34a9-48d7-8d7a-1edf5f9be888\u002FAsk-for-Feedback-Advice-and-Partners-Entrepreneurship-Networking-and-Startup-Success?io=transform%3Afill%2Cwidth%3A1200%2Cheight%3A630&quality=75","1200 \u002F 630",1200,630,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":308,"name":309,"preset":310},{"canonicalPath":254,"identity":687},{"id":257,"contentType":237,"title":258,"path":254,"publishedAt":268,"modifiedAt":260,"topics":688,"authors":690,"eligibility":692},[689],{"id":271,"label":78},[691],{"id":274,"label":275},{"searchEngines":28,"followLinks":28,"internalSearch":28}]