I understand what you are saying, but I think it isn’t completely on point (although I get it is exhausing at times, and because of Basecamp, you probably get a great deal more requests than I, or many of us, do.) I get lots of requests to ‘pick my brain.’ I’ve built and sold businesses, and frequently been the first person in a large business to start a division, or I mentor start ups. I get journalists asking for my opinion. Or people asking me to introduce them to someone.

And not all of them are always completely firm on what the ‘brain pick’ is — that is why they are usually entrenprenurs. Their minds spin fast, and they can do more in 30 minutes than an hour, but an answer to a planned question can cause them to pivot and change the course they thought they were going to take.

There is an extra layer with women in tech based businesses as well. I’ve found sometimes it really is 15 minutes. Sometimes it is more.

Guess my point is, if I put such stringent rules around things I’ve done, I’d never have accomplished half of what I have, or have met so many fantastic people, or been able to give back. The phrase ‘go with the flow’ comes to mind.