“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” — John Crosby 

When starting or running their business, entrepreneurs often make the same mistake in thinking they can figure things out on their own, and therefore not taking the time to find someone to mentor them. 

Starting and growing a business can be one of the most challenging things you may ever do – and the true mark of a wise business leader is the ability to recognize that you can’t do everything on your own. If you want your business to reach it’s full potential, and you crave a healthy life/work balance, then a mentor should be a key part of your support system.

In business you will inevitably face challenges, questions, and unexpected events that affect not just your personal life, but operations and finances too, and this is when having a business mentor is especially helpful. A business mentor is someone with business and life experience who is willing to come alongside you as an encourager and advice-giver as you navigate what it means to own and operate your own business. 

It is important that you don’t just look for someone with business success, but also for a mentor with similar values. As a business owner, you are naturally placed in leadership, and with leadership comes responsibility and influence. And if you are a Christian, then God wants to use you, through your business, to positively impact not just your employees and customers, but your larger personal and professional circles, and community too. This is incredibly exciting, but can also be confusing and challenging at times, and that is when a wise, Godly business mentor can help you better understand your natural giftings, talents and resources, in addition to areas of growth and refinement. 

Although mentoring comes in many different forms – informal, formal, in-person, online, short-term, long-term, etc– a good mentor will provide guidance and support as you face the many unknowns that come with entrepreneurship. 

The influence of a wise mentor reaches beyond the scope of your business and should also impact your personal life too, moving you towards both business and personal success and satisfaction. Finding a mentor with shared values will lead to increased job satisfaction, a great sense of purpose in your business endeavors, and increased motivation to pursue your goals. 

Being a key to success, finding a mentor should be a top priority for all aspiring business owners. The sooner you begin the mentor/mentee relatsionship, the better! Having a mentor walk with you in the early stages of clarifying your business idea, writing your business plan, and preparing to launch your business, should bring incredible benefit and blessing. Before you begin your search for a mentor, it is important to know what kind of mentor you should look for…

Key Qualities of a Wise Business Mentor:

• Relevant and transferable experience and/or knowledge
• Personal desire to empower and equip entrepreneurs
• Willing to give honest, constructive feedback
• Seeks to encourage and support your business dreams
• Able to teach and share valuable expertise to help in times of difficulty
• Has shared values that align with your personal and business core values
• Celebrates you in your successes and encourages you in your failures
• Hold you accountable to your business goals
• Listens well and provides insight

If you don’t have a business mentor, or you are having a hard time thinking of a mentor to approach, you should consider a  business coach. A business coach can fill in the gap of a mentor and offer valuable guidance and tools to help you reach your goals, and even help you identify potential mentors within your personal and professional circles.

If you’d like more information about our professional business coaching, reach out, we’d love to talk!