This month’s #MillennialTrep Twitter chat with the U.S. Small Business Administration on “Finding Your Community” was full of advice about how to break into the entrepreneurship ecosystem, whether that be in your state, city or right outside your door.

Angel investors and venture capitalists aren’t the only way to finance a venture. In fact, a smart CEO can growth a company without raising any money at all.

“One of the mistakes a lot of CEOs make, is they assume that they’re going to have success on their revenue, and they build their cost structure in advance of that.”

A mentor can increase the success of your business or point out a flaw or upcoming hurdle for your venture. But finding the right mentor is not always an easy task. You need someone who cares about you and your business, but also brings an outlook and perspective that tells you the truth–even if you might not want to hear it.

Every hill is a mountain when you’re building a company. Each hurdle you encounter must be surmounted with all possible skill and force in order to come out on the other side a success–or even, still alive.

There is one consistent asset all successful entrepreneurs have in common–a pivotal mentor. For every other resource that helps an entrepreneur turn their dream into a venture, a mentor who helps to make a connection, point out an unseen pivot or lend an intellectual ear is crucial and mandatory along the way.