I liked this article, and agree it's nice to see some clear buckets defined. Obviously every deal is different, but this is helfpul. However, this article is about 3 years old, and a lot has changed. I'd be very curious to hear peoples opinion/experience on whether these buckets hold true today?
There are so many great resources. Being accepted by YC is not "make or break". If your business is viable and you work hard, you'll get there.
But every business needs guidance, we're all in this together, so I love this question.
If you're in the Bay Area, finding great startup advisors is not a huge task (outside of bay area, it may be more work, I don't know from experience). Either way, the goal should be to seek those with relevant experience, and just get in front of them however you can. I recommend the following as a start:
- AngelList (scout out advisors/angels in your relevant industry)
- FounderDating
- LinkedIn
Other notable accelerators/incubators:
- Techstars
- 500 Startups
- AngelPad
I'm not one for luck, so I like to say... Get to work, the world is ready for you!