Get a mentor - 4 tips when looking for a business mentor

As an entrepreneur you (often) got the urge to start and develop new businesses, and for many people it becomes sort of an obsession, which eventually turns in to a curse.

Especially for us that works for our selves online, where a new business can be started in minutes for a couple of dollars, it gets really hard to not give in to the temptation.

If you are a young entrepreneur with no high level education and no corporate experience and feel that the above statements matches you and your business, I would suggest you to get a business mentor. Below I describe 4 tips that help you get a mentor that fits you and your needs and can help you focus better in your business.

1. No relation

Make sure the person you choose as your mentor has no close relation to you. It is often hard for a family member or close friend to tell you the truth and it is easy for you to lead them in to an all positive route.

2. Corporate experience

If you can get a person that is or has been a leader in a bigger company and has experience from the corporate part of business, this is a big plus. This person does probably see a lot of details you missed all fired up about your new idea and he/she can bring you down to earth again.

3. Search local

Try to contact persons in your town or very near you. I know a lot of people that loves to do this and they almost always feel they get something back from being a mentor. Most do this for free but there are of course also people that charge your for this. Choose what is best for you, put it at the level you want for your business.

It is a big advantage to have your mentor near you so that you can meat up with this person from time to time, but it is not the most important part because as you know, these days we have instant messengers, cell phones and other lovely inventions that helps us communicate.

4. Not for everything

See your mentor as a person to discuss your ideas, concepts and problems with but your mentor should not be someone that makes the big business decisions for you, that is your job. Use your mentor, but use him/her for the right things, or you might loose the value of it.

April 16, 2007 | Filed Under Motivation