One of the questions I get asked most by new entrepreneurs is around finding and then learning from business mentors.
Questions you may have include:
- When should I seek out or find a mentor?
- Do I HAVE to have a mentor?
- How to find a mentor that I can trust and that will help me with my goals?
- What should I expect to get from a good business mentor and should I pay for it – if so, how much?
I can see why there is much confusion since there are many things you can get from a business mentor that both impact who it should be, when you should seek them out, how to find them and if they will be free or paid mentors.
I want to start by saying however that I would not have ever made it to this point in business (or life) without having several mentors along the way…and yes I have paid for some while others have helped – sometimes without even knowing it.
The key is to start by knowing how you can benefit from a business mentor so that you know what you want out of the relationship before you begin looking…
Here are some common ways I have improved my results from mentors:
1. Belief – I often am attracted to a potential mentor because they show me a result and/or achievement that I previously may not have thought possible. We typically cannot really accomplish something until we 100% believe it is possible/probable – by following and learning from a mentor you can reinforce that belief. Often this can be done without paying them at all – simply closely watching what they do and perhaps meeting them via social (twitter, facebook) or in-person via an event or seminar.
2. Energy, Enthusiasm & Passion – THere is one mentor I leverage simply because the guy exudes positive energy and passion about what he chooses to do. It’s like whenever I need to boost my energy I either watch and/or talk to this mentor and am immediately re-energized and re-focused on what I want to achieve
3. Strategies – Another mentor I have had in the past taught me a great deal about the right strategy for starting and growing businesses (Basics about researching markets, determining demand, testing, launching and growing value as well as growing that buisness) – less about actual techniques and tools and more about overall strategy
4. Tactics/Techniques and Tools – Finally, I have gone out and explicitly sought out mentors that can provide expertise on a certain technique -ex copywriting, product launching, etc…Typically you have to pay for this type of information since it is highly specialized, often fairly customized, time consuming, etc…
I know in our case I have received emails from people who have considered me to have been a mentor in their lives just from watching what I do online, watching my videos and reviewing this blog…while others have pointed to the InfoMarketer’sZone Training site as a great source of exceptional mentoring. It depends on what your objectives are and how quickly you want to get personalized help.
As you see, it depends on what you are seeking from your mentors/coaches – that will determine who you seek out, why and what you may have to pay to get the information and results you want.
Do you have a question or experience with a business mentor that you can share? Leave a comment.
