Mentorship

Tips for Identifying and Securing a Mentor that works for you.

1. Understand the industry that your business operates within.

2. Become knowledgeable of the individuals in your industry that are excelling - tip: research LinkedIn and Facebook 

3. Engage with them on social media if you don’t know them already and by email and text if you are already in their network. Tip: don’t ask him/her to be your mentor in your first communication. Start first with supportive engagement of what they’re doing and/or questions that can be answered quickly online or through text. If they seem engaged with you feel free to talk about your classes, if they continue to seem interested ask if they will consider mentoring you.

4. Understand what skillsets you are looking for in a mentor, in order to find the right mentor: (examples)

   1. Industry specific knowledge

   2. Industry specific connections

   3. Particular skills (manufacturing, sourcing, selling etc.)

5. Select someone who seems committed to giving back to their industry or their community

6. Make the mentoring relationship easy for them so they are motivated to stay engaged.

7. Be sure to let them know you will not be competition to them and offer to assist them in any way you can to improve the outcomes of their business.

8. EXPRESS GRATITUDE regularly.