My 2 cents... definitely start with warm leads. Reach out to your network of friends, colleagues, etc, and ask them if they know of any good mentors in your related field. It can be as general as "I'm looking for an experienced entrepreneur" or it can be as specific as "I'm looking for someone who knows how to setup a cap table". Next step - Ask your contacts to make an email introduction for you. Now here's the key. Have humility. Your response to the introduction should be sincere and appreciative. Assuming you're looking for financing advice, you might try something like this:
"Hi <Name> - It's very nice to (virtually) meet you. As <your contact's name> mentioned, I just started my own company, and I'm looking for some mentorship/guidance on financing my venture. I understand that you have some deep experience in Venture Capital.
My question is... would you be willing to meet with me for coffee to give me your perspective on financing entrepreneurship, where angel comes in, where VC comes in, and perhaps how we should lay the foundation for VC in the future? Please let me know! I'd really appreciate it."
Make sure you're thoughtful about the request. I wouldn't just say "I'm looking for your help to get funded." Ask about their perspective, and definitely make sure you ask for a face-to-face meeting, though you might have to settle for over the phone. You'll be surprised how many people will accept the request in the spirit of "giving back" and "paying it forward".
