Q: How
do I find a mentor?
A: One
of the keys to becoming a successful entrepreneur is having someone
to motivate and inspire you. If you talk to any successful
entrepreneur, you will most likely find that she had one or more
people in her life that either officially or unofficially guided
her through the good and bad times in her career.
Often times, teens simply do not know how to approach a mentor.
They are intimidated by asking an adult to work with them. More
often than not, though, entrepreneurs will be more than happy to
meet with you. They are flattered that you'd like to learn from
them.
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When seeking out a mentor, it's usually best to find one
within your chosen industry. This way, the mentor will be able to
give you a heads-up on the specific obstacles you'll encounter
along the way. He or she can then offer you practical advice on how
to deal with issues when they come up. Your mentor will serve as an
unofficial board member for your business. However, while it's
best to find a mentor within your chose industry, you should never
choose one that has a similar geographic area as your intended
business. You wouldn't want to compete with your own mentor,
after all.
There are several formal programs nationwide that link young
people with mentors. There should be one or more available in your
community. Ask your school guidance counselor or teachers if they
know of any business mentoring programs you can join. Otherwise,
look for someone in the family or in the phonebook who runs a
business like the one you'd like to start.
When you find a potential mentor, approach him in an inquisitive
way. Ask how he started his business, what education or knowledge
he had to acquire, and if he had a mentor himself. Find out the
good and bad things about his business. That way, you'll have a
realistic outlook.
If your mentor is currently running a business, then he'll
understandably be very busy. Therefore, you cannot expect him to be
available every single time you have a question. You may want to
set up a scheduled meeting time and meet once each week or each
month. You can go out to lunch together or meet at your
mentor's office. That's up to you and your mentor.
It doesn't have to be a very formal arrangement. But having
a mentor who's been through the trials and triumphs of
entrepreneurship is one of the most valuable assets you can
have.
Brian O'Rourke is the CEO and publisher of EnTrends, an online
publication devoted to exploring how entrepreneurs work and
live.
The opinions expressed in this column are those
of the author, not of Entrepreneur.com. All answers are intended to
be general in nature, without regard to specific geographical areas
or circumstances, and should only be relied upon after consulting
an appropriate expert, such as an attorney or
accountant.