Business Mentors for Startups
Say “aye!” if you felt that your business needs a mentor! Many of us would agree that sailing unknown waters without a guide is tough. So, when you have a mentor to guide you, it becomes a blessing.
Who Is A Mentor?
A mentor is someone with more business experience than you, who supports and guides you from without any direct involvement or vested interest in your business and organization. Most crucially, a mentor serves as a trusted confidante.
Apart from advising, they will always be there in every perilous step you take.
Having a mentor increases access to business opportunities and the company’s success.
Where Do You Get Mentoring From?
Mentors may stem from your own network connections. You may have met the person at a business meet or event, or through someone else’s reference. If you find a good enough experienced person, approach him right away. A simple request for advice can turn into a long term relationship that you will value.
A Mentor Creates Accountability, Credibility
As a business owner, you must have realized that all your employees—whether senior or junior management—report to you. But what about yourself? This is where a mentor can help you. Often business mentors will ask you tough questions so that you’re on track and make you realize where you stand. Their core function is to keep you focussed and on track so that you can tackle pressing issues pertaining to your business.
Discuss, Share and Brainstorm
Being an entrepreneur can be tough, and the road to entrepreneurship writ with loneliness and one-handed decisions. A mentor acts like a friend with whom you can talk and discuss your strategies, doubts, and in return he would provide expert opinions, helping you to solve your problems and turn them into possible opportunities. Mentors have invaluable outside experience and help put things into perspective.
How To Identify A Mentor?
When the student is ready, the master will appear. when you are starting a business you can’t expect someone will walk in from heaven and take you to the next level, you should earn a mentor. Do your stuff and look around you, there will a person who always breaks your business egos and still, your mind will take you to him when you are in need of advice.
A Fruitful Relationship And A Great Support System
The mentor-entrepreneur relationship is in itself a very fruitful relationship and not based on any personal motive. It is all about sharing experiences and giving the right guidance. It matures over time like wine, the more mature the better. A mentor is a valuable resource for an entrepreneur, as he can rely on him in all stages of his business. This relationship is a two-way road; a mentor gets to learn new ideas and strategies from you just as you learn timeless wisdom from him.
As a business owner, you will invest a lot of time and resources into your new business venture. To be successful and a go-getter, you must have a support system. In some cases, a mentor can give you the much require motivational boost as well. When you’re starting a business, having experienced guidance is the best support system of all.
Put Things Into Perspective
A mentor helps you put things into perspective and show you the bigger picture. A mentor helps you keep learning, as you need to keep learning if you have to grow. But as a business owner, you are sometimes so much caught up with your day-to-day business activities that you don’t have the time to focus on yourself and see the broader perspective. Mentors act as observers who view the entire business operations from an outside point of view and so, are well placed to view possible future opportunities and challenges for the business.
They Give You A Valuable Network
Your mentor, being an experienced business person, is likely to have an extensive network of people and can refer you to far more senior decision-makers than you currently may have.
A mentor helps you to see things in different dimensions that you have not imagined. Every business owner should earn a mentor who guides you in the right direction, the direction of Success.
Contact OurBusinessLadder Market Research Consultant for more about Top 5 reasons your business needs a mentor.
