How to Ask for Help (and Actually Get It)
The Right Way to Ask for Help—and Get the Support You Need
If you’re building something in LA—whether it’s a business, a creative project, or a community—at some point, you’ll need help. But asking for it? Yeesh. Yeah, that’s another story.
Idk about you but I find asking for help incredibly difficult at times. At my worst I’m self reliant and stubborn. But over the years I’ve learned to ask for help and I think I’ve gotten pretty bold with my asks:
Can you help me build this community and grab time every week to workshop and brainstorm?
Would you be up to be my mentor and advisor as I build LA in Common full-time?
Are you available to run this one event end to end?
Sometimes people say no but I’ve also gotten plenty of yeses. In short, I’d say there’s an art to asking for help in a way that actually strengthens relationships instead of making them feel like a one-way street.
Here’s how:
Be Direct. Jorrel, idk if you’re reading this but you taught me a cool lesson. Just ask and let people say no. Give people the autonomy to make a decision. If you never ask, they’ll never know.
Be Specific. Don’t just ask, “Can I pick your brain?” or “Can you help me?” Instead, say, “I’m looking for advice on securing my first brand partnership—would you have 15 minutes to share your experience?” or “I’m really struggling with (insert challenge here), can we grab some time to flesh out my assumptions?”
Show Appreciation. A simple follow-up message to say thank you (and to share how their advice helped) goes a long way in turning a one-time favor into an ongoing relationship.
In a city full of ambitious people, the best collaborations happen when we support each other. So don’t hesitate to reach out—you never know where a simple ask could lead.
I’m pretty curious who of you is well-versed in asking for help and those who might need some help in this area. Send me something you had help with recently OR send me a challenge you’re currently working through. I read every reply.
Cheers ya’ll,
Daniel
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