Looking for a Business Mentor?

June 12, 2007

I’m often astonished by the number of posts I see on forums, by those who are looking for a business mentor.  Most of the posters have not even started a business just yet, because they’re waiting for the right business mentor to come along.  If this sounds like you, you need to get real.  Successful business people tend to value time more than anything else.  Time is what helped them to become so successful to begin with.  Without time, they would have been unable to build a successful business.


Nobody minds giving up a little bit of time, and a snippet of advice here and there to help a really enthusiastic business start up.  But, tell someone you want them to be your business mentor, before you even start your business, and they will more than likely run a mile.

In the past, I’ve wasted ridiculous amounts of time helping friends who want to learn how to build a website, start a business, put together a business plan or brainstorm for ideas.  Here’s why I don’t do it anymore.  In every single case, when I followed up a couple of weeks later, not one single one of those people had taken further action.  A few months, even a year later, they just hadn’t got round to it, or didn’t have the time.  Can you imagine how frustrating it can be to give up your time to help others, then they can’t be bothered to follow through?

So, if you’re waiting round for a business mentor - don’t waste your time or theirs.  Launch your business, read and learn as much as you can about it.  Surround yourself with other successful business people, network with them, socialise in the same places.  And when an entrepreneur does something wonderful, write and tell them you think they’re great.  Do all these things, and when people see that you’re passionate and enthusiastic about what you’re doing, they’ll usually be more than happy to offer snippets of advice, and stories of their experience. 

Just don’t go looking for someone to do all the hard work for you.  It doesn’t work like that and you shouldn’t expect it to.


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Posted by cathlawson | Filed Under Running a Business 

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