You know they say truth is often stranger than fiction?
Well…
A while ago I heard a story on the radio about a woman in Belgium who set off on a 38-mile journey to collect a friend from the railway station in Brussels and ended up two days later in Zagreb – having stopped for fuel more than once, passed road signs in many different languages and (probably) passed a number of border controls – because she didn’t question the instructions from her Sat-Nav.
The thing about this story that most resonated with me was the fact that this woman continued on her journey – FOR TWO DAYS – without stopping, questioning what she was doing, sleeping (?!) re-setting her directions or …
…asking for help and advice.
As a professional Business Mentor one of the most frequent questions I get asked is “So, if I work with you, what do I get?”
Well, for one thing, unlike that woman’s Sat-Nav, I’ll tell you if I think you’re going in the wrong direction.
If you’re thinking of working with a Business Mentor, here are three things I think you should consider first.
Not All Mentors Are Business Mentors
Throughout our lives, personal and business, we look to different people at different times for support, advice and guidance.
A mentor is someone we identify as having a skill – or having had an experience – that can help us understand or do something that we don’t know about or have not previously experienced.
Basically, for us to get the most benefit from those people as mentors, they have to have been there, done that and bought the T-shirt.
So, how does this apply to identifying the Business Mentor to help us start, grow or develop our micro or side-hustle business?
Well, the first thing I would want to know is, have they ever started and run their own business? Then I would want to know if their business is/was anything like mine.
For me, a good micro or side-hustle Business Mentor needs to understand the context of the business they are mentoring.
I have met many business advisors who have never experienced – first hand – the issues and frustrations of running a micro or side-hustle business (in fact I have met loads who have never had a business at all, they have always been an employee).
The final thing I would be looking for is proof of credibility. Reviews, testimonials and case studies are a great place to start.
And what about qualifications?
Yes, we can learn loads from people who don’t have any qualifications. But would you be more comfortable putting your trust in a Business Mentor who has proven to their peers that they not only know how to run their own business but also how to use that experience authentically and ethically to help other businesses grow and flourish?
I am a proud, qualified member and flag-waver of the Association of Business Mentors.
Be Clear About Your Expectations of Your Business Mentor
Here are a couple of definitions of a Business Mentor:
- “A brain to pick, an ear to listen and a push in the right direction”
- “A spare pair of hands, with a brain attached”
I think what you should expect from a Business Mentor sits somewhere in the middle of both of those definitions.
Your Business Mentor won’t do it (whatever ‘it’ is) for you.
When I speak to prospective clients I describe what I do as guidance – with a bit of tutorial thrown in.
My role as a Business Mentor is to help the business owner acknowledge the truth about what is happening in the business and support them to navigate their own path to success. But I also know – particularly as I specialise in working with one-person, micro or side-hustle business owners – that there are knowledge and skills gaps That’s where the tutorial element comes in. If they don’t know how to do something, and I do, I will show them.
The best piece of advice?
If you are considering working with a Business Mentor you need to have a good, long conversation with them first:
- Make sure the ‘chemistry’ is right
- Make sure their experience is the right experience to help you
- Get them to explain their method of working – what they will and what they won’t do – and is it right for you
Remember, Business Mentoring is a two-way street
Consider the Value of Working with a Business Mentor, Not the Cost
Let’s go back to the story of the lady and the Sat-Nav and why it resonated with me.
It struck me because she didn’t ask for help or directions. She continued on her journey – not questioning – probably, just hoping things would work themselves out.
In life – and in business – this is definitely not the best course of action as it rarely delivers a positive outcome.
Working with a Business Mentor is an investment – an investment in yourself and the future of your business.
As a Business Mentor I have learned that it’s not worthwhile working to convince business owners who buy on price the benefits that mentoring will bring to their businesses.
[As an aside, it is often business owners who make all their decisions solely on price that most complain about when their customers do the same!?]
However, as a business owner myself (Business Mentoring is my business) it is important that I lead by example, keep up to date with current business trends and growth methods and demonstrate the positive outcome of my work with my clients.
So, is a New Sat-Nav or a Business Mentor the Right Choice for You?
Get your business Sat-Nav out. Take a look. Are you going in the right direction? Are there obstacles and road works up ahead that you’re going to find it hard to navigate?
We all need to pull into a business lay-by regularly to make sure we are going in the right direction, will arrive on time and have enough fuel to get us there.
If there are any problems it’s really great to know that we can buy-in the ’emergency’ support as we may need to be towed and repaired at the nearest garage. It is even more reassuring to know that we have a subscription to an emergency service that will swoop in and rescue us if we need it.
That’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about working with a Business Mentor.
Next Steps?
If you’re interested in finding more about me and how I can help you with your micro or side-hustle business, book a Breakthrough Session and let’s see if the chemistry is right.