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How do I find a Mentor?

The-J

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What my friend did: He looked all around for a job and told the proprietor of a specialty food store that he would work for free. The proprietor allowed him to intern there and showed him all around the store, how he runs the store, and what is required to run the store. Now he has resume experience, a mentor, and a thorough understanding of the food retail business. He's going to be opening a B+M food retail store, but he didn't want to tell me the details.

Speaking of, I need to meet with him next week.
 
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andviv

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He looked all around for a job and told the proprietor of a specialty food store that he would work for free. The proprietor allowed him to intern there and showed him all around the store, how he runs the store, and what is required to run the store. Now he has resume experience, a mentor, and a thorough understanding of the food retail business.

Funny enough, very few people are willing to take this route, and it is very effective.

My brother took this path. He needed experience in a field he wanted to move to, so he asked a business owner for the opportunity to learn at his place and work for free for up to 4 weeks, shadowing the person that was meeting that role. He did it and after just 2 weeks found a full time job with the experience he gained (granted, it was more like a lateral move rather than a first time job for him). This move also helped him to expand his professional network.
 

SitesForSales

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The most important parts to finding a mentor are:

1 - Have accomplished something already. I would not spend time
on a dreamer.

2 - KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND WHAT YOU WANT FROM THE MENTOR,
so that the prospect knows if they are a good fit or not.

3 - Go find someone who has the attributes ( same industry or not ) you want
and pitch them the idea of being a sounding board for you. If you can get that
first meeting - it may become a mentorship.

The most important parts to KEEPING a mentor are:

1 Have a plan/scenario to talk about - NO RANDOM CHATS - you waste their time, they're gone.
2 Drop everything when they want to meet
3 Take and use the advice you are given. If you think you know more - you don't need a mentor.
On the other hand, if you know "your way" to be better, tell them you are concerned that what
you need advice on is that issue "old school smarts vs new customer climate" stuff - anything
that makes them re-evaluate WITH you...rather than make it look like you don't need their advice.
 

champion510

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Great feedback here from most of the people who are saying the same thing on this post.
"Do let him know how you feel without freaking him out" This is very much like relationship! :)
 

Primzi

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What my friend did: He looked all around for a job and told the proprietor of a specialty food store that he would work for free. The proprietor allowed him to intern there and showed him all around the store, how he runs the store, and what is required to run the store. Now he has resume experience, a mentor, and a thorough understanding of the food retail business. He's going to be opening a B+M food retail store, but he didn't want to tell me the details.

Speaking of, I need to meet with him next week.

I went to seek an internship in a similar way, but the CEO of a company actually offerred me a job if I could solve some of his problems. But how do I solve problems by shading someone around? Is that not just a big waste of their time (explaining to me how they run their business, etc...)? How do you solve CEO's problems? I want to just have an internship, well and if it's a paid one, it's even better.
 

andviv

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I went to seek an internship in a similar way, but the CEO of a company actually offerred me a job if I could solve some of his problems.
Do you realize how lucky you are?

But how do I solve problems by shading someone around? Is that not just a big waste of their time (explaining to me how they run their business, etc...)? How do you solve CEO's problems?
That is the easy part... you spend time with him. You ask questions, lots of them. You ask him what problems he's having. You listen.
And you think. A lot.
And then ask more questions.
And then start working on solutions.

It will only be a waste of his time if you shadow the guy, don't pay attention to what's going on, and more importantly, do not even try to solve his problems.

I've found that, in many cases, a problem is quickly identified and solved by a "foreigner". The person that is not "in" the mess can have a different perspective. And sometimes you can simply offer solutions, or work your a$$ off to provide that company and that CEO with value.

I want to just have an internship, well and if it's a paid one, it's even better.
OK, please define for me what is an internship.
Are you expecting to get paid to serve coffee and make copies?
What are your expectations?

Gosh.... seriously, what am I missing here? You have this golden opportunity to learn something real and not having to pay for it (even worse, you may end up getting paid for it) and you say "I want to just have an internship". Seriously?

Seriously?
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Yussef

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You can never have too many. I currently have a mentor that is the CEO of a Biotech company here where I live. I respect his busy schedule and if I have a question I text him and he responds. His company was worth about 700million when I met him at the mall and I knew about him through a friend and decided I would meet him one day. Then one day while my daughter and I were at the mall I saw my opportunity. I walked up to him and simply said hello and introduced myself. I didn't talk about me but I "briefly" told him what I admired about him and his company and asked if he would be interested in mentoring me. He said yes, gave me his cell number and the rest is history. His company Targacept is much larger than mine but you would be surprised what people will do when you are polite and show interest in them. Good Luck
 
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ruskism

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This thread in particular has been great. For years I have mentored many, many people through their fitness/health related plans. Numerous room mates, people who have had the courage to come up and introduce themselves, people who message me over third-party websites, basically anyone who has had the drive and motive to seek help. That's how I started over four years ago - I surrounded myself with the people at the top and they took me under their wing.. now I'm a sponsored physique competitor, a fitness model, and an active title-holding powerlifter. Here I am now, again, at the bottom of the totem pole and looking for a mentor into the fastlane. It's invigorating and exciting to know that I'm once again on the verge of starting a journey that can and will change my life (and hopefully people surrounded by me as well). Good luck everyone!
 

Bruh

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True Story.

Just the other day, Someone local, 23 year old, asked me to mentor him, said he wants to be a great entrepreneur. would love to be my assistant. In an email I said ok, how much do you need to make? To which he replied. "I need to make at least $4,500 bucks a month to cover my bills I hope that does not scare you"

So you want me to teach you how to be an entrepreneur and pay you $60k to start. Ok..

I offered him $120k so he would be able to live at least a half decent lifestyle.

Dude, I would do it for free!

If anyone really wants a mentor, you should provide value for free. The goal is to learn. That mentor can change your life.
 

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