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So Youd Like a Mentor

Written by: Christine Sutherland

Article Overview: You might like to have an “expert in your back pocket” as you work toward success, but there are rules that few people realise ....

So Youd Like a Mentor

This could well be the shortest article on this site, but it could be the most important you’ll ever read, because your mentors are absolutely crucial to your success.

Let’s say you’ve picked out your potential mentor (and as to where to meet them, live networking meetings or Web 2.0 participation are the very best ways) and now you’d like to approach him/her to discover whether they might help you.

Maybe this even seems daunting to you, but the reason for that is that you might feel that you are after a free lunch, or in the position of a beggar. If that’s truly the case, then it would be inappropriate to ask, but luckily, in most cases, you do have value to bring. And this should be your mindset: don’t be a parasite – seek to add value instead. It’s not a gift, it’s an exchange.
What are some of the ways you can add value for your potential mentor? Here are some examples:

*** You may have a circle of influence that you would be proud to introduce your mentor to.

*** You may have skills or knowledge that you can offer your mentor in return for his/her time (especially if you are young and very IT savvy and your mentor has expertise in other areas, for example).

*** You may be able to do “grunt” work for your mentor that can make his/her business life a lot easier.

What Do You Say to Your Potential Mentor When You Want to Set Up a Meeting?

Once you realise that it’s your job to add value for your mentor, the task of asking for a meeting becomes very easy. Here are some examples:

“Joan, I’d really like to hear more about XYZ company so that I understand how to refer contacts more intelligently. I wonder if you’d mind a brief visit so I can find out more?”

“Peter, I was really interested to hear your comments about the ABC initiative because I’m involved in that area too. I wonder if you’d catch up with me for coffee some time so we can chat about some possibilities there?”

“Sue, when I visited your web site last week I thought it looked very professional, but I really felt strongly that its earning power could be ramped up so easily with a few simple changes. I wonder if you’d catch up with me for coffee some time so I could explain?”

Always remember that peer-mentoring in groups is the most effective mentoring you could ever receive, such is the power of the group. More articles, including an article on peer-mentoring are available on the site below.

Happy mentoring!

Related Articles
  Why Small Business Entrepreneurs Need a Mentor
  How To Effectively Use Business Mentoring
  How to Find the Best Mentor for Your Needs
  Business Mentoring Programs
  The Success of a Mentee Is a Mentor’s Ultimate Reward

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Famous Entrepreneur Question? - First name to come to mind was Sam Walton. After reading his aoutbiography, I feel so connected to him. My one Question would be...(after getting on one knee) "Would You Mentor Me?''
On Mentors - I've been fortunate that in every endevour I've taken on I have found a Mentor within that niche to guide me and help me learn from my mistakes. I've matured so much faster and more focused just by having someone listen to where i am at in my current day and in having someone to be accountable to. I've been blessed by having mentors naturally come into my life but if I wanted to approach one how would I go about developing the relationship and then asking them to mentor me?
A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!! - This is to my Mentor{ideauniversity} who invited me here,A Big thank you to you for giving me the opportunity and having so much hope in me,because of you have being able to learn so much in this forum which has improved my business skill. A Big thank you to all my new friends who have helped me express myself and also contributed to my growth through your post and answers you have given to my post. Thanks Evan and Kevin for giving me this oportunity. cheers. Tope
Re: Business Women Peer Mentoring Spotlight - That is a great idea, David. This is what I had in mind for the Women's section, but it makes sense to post in on the main site. Of course, I'm waiting for some women to step up to the plate and share how they could use some support on taking the next step with their business! If you are a Business Woman reading this, I invite you to consider that this is not displaying weakness in any form. Peer mentoring and Coaching is incredibly valuable. You get to bounce your ideas off others, hear perspectives from outside your own box, and feel the power of others cheering you on. To me, it's wisdom to use all of our available resources to move towards business success. That's why I have my own Coach and my own Mentor Coaching Group. I also offer that to my clients. These are services one usually has to pay for and you could enjoy some of it free right here! So who wants to start? Can you tell I'm excited about the possibilities for you even before you begin? Warmly, Tami
I am looking for a Mentor who is a Successful Restauranteur - Hi Evans, An idea for a forum that would be niche focused. My goal is wanting to acquire the expertise of running a highly successful restaurant. Like building any great business I think it would be great if there was One Umbrella resource underwhich I could find a highly successful restauranteur who would be willing to be a Mentor for building a successful restaurant business. A lawyer who understands business and specializes in the restaurant industry and more importantly who would not charge by the hour, But instead on as per completion of a contract basis. A competent CPA/CA who specializes in restaurants and who would be able to offer the right advice in maximzing revenues within the confines of legal parameters. A competent commercial real estate agent who specializes in restaurants and who would assist and advise on acquiring the right locations and also assist in negotiating the Term of Offer Clauses in the Lease Agreement. A competent Tax professional who would advise on maximizing revenues within the confines of legal parameters.


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