A Cisco executive gets help making a ‘massive impact Premium JOANN S. LUBLIN Share Via Read Full Story In Personal Board of Directors, top business leaders talk about the people they turn to for advice, and how those people have shaped their perspective and helped them succeed. Previous installments from the series are here. Jeetu Patel, a top executive for Cisco Systems Inc., got highly unusual help from a mentor that ignited his early career trajectory. MORE FROM THIS SECTIONSee All Premium Premium Premium Premium Premium Premium Premium Premium Wild housing market made his modest home a hot property Mr. Patel was a 23-year-old assistant analyst at a startup called Doculabs Inc. when a bank chairman lent him $250,000—based on the banker’s belief in aiding young people with fire in their bellies. Mr. Patel used the money to join Doculabs founders in buying out an investor in the firm.