Being able to navigate the choppy waters of entrepreneurship can be challenging.
Smart small business owners and entrepreneurs seek help from more seasoned captains who have already conquered the business world’s high seas...
They solicit assistance to sail through the unchartered regions along their business odysseys through mentorship and overall guidance along the way. Some mentors guide and assist entrepreneurs overcome challenges they face on a daily basis.
Mentorship is crucial and is the difference between success and failure.
As evidenced by the increasing number of organizations that are providing mentoring services to up-and-coming entrepreneurs, mentorship has become a much more important factor for business success today. Where else do you get answers to all the hard questions that you are asked as a new entrepreneur?
For instance, online mentoring platforms such as micromentor and Startup Denver connect aspiring entrepreneurs with successful mentors to guide them.
While the best mentors are experienced and conquered the challenges that mentees are attempting, not every successful entrepreneur makes a good mentor. Here's what you need to look for...
Having a good mentor can help propel most entrepreneurs to success.
- Good mentors have expertise you can take action from- As an entrepreneur, you need a mentor that can help you develop the skills you are lacking. This does not mean you need someone who has been doing something for years. However that person needs to have expertise you can learn from to help propel your business forward in the form of actionable conversation.
Pro tip: Find clear verbal to-dos or ask for email follow-up in bullet points.
- Good mentors are successful entrepreneurs- As an entrepreneur, you need to ensure that your mentor is someone that has had success as an entrepreneur. You may feel comfortable with your teacher in high school, or your church pastor. However they may not be the ideal mentors for you when starting a business. While this is not a rule of thumb, having someone who have walked the road you are attempting to walk is always a plus.
Pro tip: Get advice from entrepreneurs who have done more than quit their full-time job. Find the ones that hired others full-time, and did it off a sustainable business model, not just their savings (I'm paying my people of my savings, find more far-along entrepreneurs than me)
Access to a wider network- When you are starting a business, you may not have a huge network of people you can turn to. A mentor can help you build your network. They can introduce you to and give you access to their network. This can help you in the long run especially when you are looking for financiers, suppliers and even business partners.
Pro tip: Interview prospective mentors about their success on your video series or blog to get in front of them faster.
- Supportive- A good mentor is supportive: they will not tell you want you want to hear, they will tell you what you need to hear. Sometimes, they will not tell you what to do, but will guide and advise you to avoid some of the mistakes they would have made as they started their own businesses. Be open to their feedback and brainstorming, in addition to concise action items that they hopefully leave you with.
Pro tip: As the entrepreneur, you are the decision maker, and it is your job to make a decision off all of the feedback you get from many mentors.
Mentorship can help you when you are just starting out in entrepreneurship. This can be the difference between failure and success. If you do not have someone you can go to for help consider building your online reputation and learn how we can help you here.
Originally published at www.handshakin.com.
