Choosing a mentor is an important decision. Start by searching for someone in your business field that is currently in the place where you would like your business to be. Ask for a small amount of their time on a weekly or monthly basis, either in person or via a teleconference. Mentors are generally business owners who have more experience than you, who have achieved a higher level of success and who can become a trusted advisor to you and your business; and, their time is often free.
As a business owner, you are generally on your own. No more bosses to ask advice from and often few employees to bounce your ideas off of. Every business owner needs to have a great sounding board and sometimes they need emotional support throughout their business journey. Read my article, Why it Pays to Have a Network of Advisors, for more information about choosing the best mentor.
Learning from the business mistakes that your mentor may have made may help you avoid those same mistakes while you are growing your business. A mentor’s perspective and past experiences will help you to propel forward quicker in your business strategy.
Business mentors can also offer you access to an extended social network, offering you and your business access to senior decision makers to help you along. People like to help other people, and mentoring is a primary way for successful business owners to give back to the business community.
Mentors provide you with a no pressure and no ulterior motive relationship. This level of openness fosters better communication and a comfortable learning environment. The establishment of trust is something that typically grows into a long term trusted business relationship.
Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for help in business. Mentors are a tremendous resource for any business owner, at any stage and will help you go further than you would be able to go on your own. Seek out a mentor to begin moving your business forward.
You Don’t have to Have all of the Answers; It is okay to Seek Help Once in a While - To learn more about this author, visit Mark Gwilliam's Website.
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Mark Gwilliam
(Visit Mark's Website)
Mark Gwilliam, FCCA, uses his
international experience to coach small
business owners on how to run successful
businesses. He combines his natural
enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge with
his proven ability to provide practical
down-to-earth solutions for his clients.
He has written several books and owns
several companies which offer small
business owners integrated business
solutions. He writes several business
articles in his weekly newsletters “The
Bizness” and “Successful Marketing
Strategies”. To read these and to have
access to more tools and resources to
turbo charge your business, visit his
sites at www.thema
rketingdude.com and www.mark-gwi
lliam.com
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Here's one way to sidestep having to raise money from LPs: Sell your house for $76-million. 
I haven't written much in the Failure series lately, but I've got a doozy or two coming soon. 
