It’s no secret owning a business can be tough. It can also occasionally be lonely to be the one responsible for the welfare of others and the decision making that is required to ensure a successful operation.
That’s where there’s immense value in seeking out a mentor (or more than one) to help guide you through the business journey.
What a mentor offers
A business mentor is someone who will help you develop career goals or a strategy for your business, by making themselves available to discuss your business ideas, challenges and plans for the future.
In many ways they are also an accountability buddy, allowing you as the business owner to set business goals and create a future vision.
The reason a business mentor helps hold you accountable is that often we are more likely to follow through on what we tell others than the promises we make to ourselves.
What sort of business mentor?
Many great business owners, leaders and successful entrepreneurs have more than one mentor, and there are good reasons for that.
I’d argue as a business owner, you should seek out a mentor for any area of your business or personal life that could benefit from improvement.
This allows you to seek insight on specialist elements of your business or life, or seek multiple opinions that you then weigh before making a decision.
Feasibly this might mean you have an industry mentor you talk to about business strategy, one who might guide you when it comes to leadership and a further mentor who helps you maintain that all-important work/life balance.
For some, one mentor will offer all these attributes and more, but for others, the insight of multiple people might assist.
Who makes a good mentor?
A great mentoring relationship is built on mutual respect. Your potential mentor should be someone you look up to in the areas where you seek improvement.
They might come in the form of a qualified coach you meet with regularly, a respected individual who offers online mentoring, or could be someone you follow on social media.
Qualities you should seek in a mentor include:
- Someone you trust and respect
- Someone you admire for their expertise in a specific area, the positive impact they have had, or their ethos
- Someone down to earth who is prepared to tell you the hard truths when required
- Someone who will support you when times are tough, building your confidence and skill sets when needed
Who has a mentor?
You might be surprised at the successful people and business owners who have drawn on the support and guidance of mentors.
Some of the more famous examples include experienced entrepreneurs like Apple founder Steve Jobs who mentored Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Barbara Walters who mentored Oprah Winfrey, and Warren Buffet who mentored Bill Gates.
It just goes to show the impact a mentor can have when it comes to building a successful business or career.
A great mentor can help you attain heights you only dreamed of, while keeping you accountable, true to your vision and clear on your goals.
If you’re looking for a business strategist who can mentor you to success through business planning and industry experience, I’m available to assist, courtesy of over 30 years of business insight and coaching.
You can book a discovery call with me here.
Let's Talk About Your Business
I work with business owners and their teams to grow their business and achieve goals through strategic coaching and mentoring services. Looking for something more from your business or just a little clarity, take a moment to book a call with me, and let’s talk about your business.
