Thread: Mentor Appropriate?

A business mentor is kind of an oxymoron. I find my best advice is from just creating a thread about a question/concern/curiosity that's been bothering me. I almost always get an answer that I'm looking for and there's usually someone else who had a similar, if not the same question.

If you want a personal business mentor for your industry perhaps you could check out the online SBA business coaches. Although be advised that most are not entrepreneurs, they usually are retired corporate workers and I haven't had much luck when I contacted them about a year ago.

A menter will present themselves when you are ready for them. Until then put yourself in the best possible place so they can find you.

I've found that in the "real" world, business mentors are developed, not selected. If you find someone of whom you can ask questions, who is willing to give you the time to answer them, then this is a good start. But always pay very close attention to their willingness/readiness to do so. Some people love to teach and share; others, not so much. It's not that they're selfish or mean. It's just not their "thing".

That being said, until you find that special brain to pick, there's plenty to learn here and from books. Then "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear". I would imagine right now that you have more energy than knowledge. That's okay. In fact, it's kind of exciting. You don't yet know enough to even know what you don't know. I.e. you wouldn't know what questions to ask a mentor if you had one.

So start by asking yourself a few questions:

What do I want? Why? Well why that? Why that?
What interests me? Excites me? Do I have a talent for? Access to?
Is there anything here (in the list above) that would equip me with the seed of an idea that I could use to meet the market's wants/needs/desires?

I would recommend here reading MJ's entrepreneurship thread. Will link it as soon as I find it.

In the meantime, use some of the other ideas that have been proffered up here by others to start building up your start-up capital.

Then once you've figured out what you want to do and have done the homework to learn the basics of that particular industry / vehicle, you'll be funded and ready to go.

Along the way, you have dozens (hundreds?) of pretty bright minds here on Fastlane to consult.

Upon re-reading this, I recognize that this is not a linear progression, as I typically like to use. But it truly is a concurrent stream. Think of an athelete in training. Before he ever gets to the show, he develops a strict exercise and diet regime. He works on fundamentals; Spends time in the locker room looking at film; Studies his playbook
and so on. All of these necessary ingredients are done daily until he arrives on the field of play. Once the game begins, he still has coaches there to guide him.

So get to "the gym"!

LOL. Crosspost, Hatteras guy. Great minds.... and all that!

Yeah I was just thinking that lol!

People that are really successfull don't have much time, and guard it. So you need to get up to a certain level and sophistication before they are really going to want to spend much time on you.

Think of it like Tiger Woods, he just didn't wake up one morning and say I want to golf, go call up some PGA champ and say teach me. He spent years hitting balls, rain or shine before someone like that would give him the time of day. Now he is amazing, I recomend watching him play if you can. I would kill for a swing 1/10 as good as his!

I see where you guys are coming from, basically work hard and a real mentor may or may not present his/her self in the future, i really love the information you guys spread it always gets me going back into my fastlane, please slip me that link when you get the time Jill, i would love to see that thread.

As to all of you +thanks for the speedy reply and the great thinking. =]

Im ready to do this, i will be successful and i will get there. Fastlane here i come! =]

Thanks ladies and gents.

Deege

Here ya go, Deege.

Change your attitude, I caught you right their. "work hard and a real mentor may or may not present his/her self in the future"

No, you will work hard, and you will place yourself in contact with the right people. One of those right people will be impressed by your work, dedication, intelligence, and effort; than you will have your mentor.

"Not, can't, won't, and couldn't", are words that you should work to remove from your vocabulary and thinking. My 2 cents.