Finding a Mentor as an Entrepreneur | Jack Mondel | Entrepreneurship
All the successful individuals in the world have in common: they can point to one mentor who made a huge difference in their lives. Having a great mentor is very important to become successful. Having a great mentor is also very important regardless of your industry, career, or personality.
Unfortunately, many young entrepreneurs cannot find a great mentor due to the changes brought about by the digital age. This has made the connection process more complex than it was in the past. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to find a great mentor- not just any mentor, but one who has the necessary skills and knowledge to improve your business.
Before finding a great mentor, you must identify what you’re looking for in a partner. This will help you build a profile that will help you find the ideal mentor. Ask yourself questions like:
- What kind of skills and processes do I need to learn?
- What industries are going to be instrumental to my mentorship?
- What communication style is going to be most effective for me?
- What do I have to offer?
Mentorship programs
Many businesses and organizations have started offering formal mentorship programs to young entrepreneurs. This is the easiest and most direct way to connect with a mentor. Two main types of mentorship programs are available to young entrepreneurs.
First are the formal programs, such as The Muse and Coach.me, which are designed to connect entrepreneurs with their mentors. Second are the incubators, like Y Combinator and AngelsCube, which allow participants to focus on their startup while receiving coaching and mentorship in return for equity in the startup. On the local level, various small business programs are geared toward specific industries.
Meetup
Through this platform, you can easily connect with other entrepreneurs interested in learning more about entrepreneurship. There are thousands of events happening across the country daily via Meetup, making it an ideal way to connect with other like-minded individuals.
To learn more about these events, check out the list of speakers. Usually, groups that host events bring in prominent entrepreneurs to speak. Check out if there are any individuals who you’d like to meet as a mentor.
This is a great way to connect with other entrepreneurs, but it’s also important to establish yourself as an entrepreneur. One of the easiest ways to do this is by volunteering at the event. This will allow you to get a chance to meet the individuals who are speaking.
LinkedIn is an ideal platform for working professionals. After you have your profile up and running, you can easily connect with potential mentors. The power of referrals is what makes LinkedIn so powerful. It allows you to check if the individuals you’re interested in meeting share any mutual connections.
One of the most important factors that people consider when it comes to building their social network is their friend’s referral. Having a mutual friend introduce you to other individuals is very important to get noticed.
On LinkedIn, you can filter your search results to find potential mentors based on various factors, such as their industry, location, and school. This feature will allow you to build a list of individuals who you can connect with. Even if you have only one connection, you can expand your professional network.
Originally published at https://jackmondel.net on October 13, 2022.