5. Can you hope to speak with them personally on the phone? (Or are they always just too busy for you, and all you can get is a staffer?)

No, I don't sit by the phone waiting like the Maytag repairman. With the number of deals I have going, I'm extremely busy. But I've not forgotten the help that a few mentors gave me along the way. That's why I carve out time on a regular basis to work directly with my students. They don't get some "Junior Assistant Under Vice President for Consumer Affairs" to talk to; if they have a hot deal and need some advice, they can get to me directly.