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  If you’re a business owner, there’s a lot that you can gain from having a mentor. Ideally, a mentor is a person who’s gone much further in the world of business than you have; they’ve been in situations you have or haven’t yet encountered, and have gained a lot of experience along the way.
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Their experience provides them with quality insights that they can share with you. Your mentor could give you advice about a range of things related to your business, helping you to reach your goals faster and get beyond challenges quicker. If you’re trying to find a mentor for your business, here are some ways to find them.

Your Network

You may be looking for the ideal mentor in some far-off place. But they may be closer to you than you think—maybe even within your immediate connections. So it’s important to expand your contacts and find out whether there’s any one of them who fits the ‘mentor’ bill. You could also find a mentor by asking your contacts whether they know anyone who could fill that role for you.

Industry Events

Have you ever been to a conference or some other event organized within your industry? That sort of setting is great for finding a mentor. There could be some people in attendance who have gained a lot more experience than you have, who could offer valuable advice and support. You may approach a speaker there who’s impressed you with the points they’ve shared. Or you could meet a fellow attendee who’s gained considerable experience within your industry. Introduce yourself to them, and let them know that you’d like to learn from them.

Networking Groups

Smaller events may open up opportunities to network with potential mentors. Platforms like Meetup, or engagements at local business gatherings may hold some promise in this regard. Meet with as many people as you can, and develop relationships with them. Over time, those connections could become valuable partnerships. If you find that some of those contacts are people more experienced than you are, you may nurture those relationships and try to learn what you can from them.
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Trade Or Professional Association

Business associations are often great places to find mentors. The membership at those organizations may range from budding entrepreneurs to thoroughly experienced industry leaders. By signing up with a trade or professional association (depending on which one suits you), you could increase your chances of meeting a potential mentor. Some professional associations may even run formal mentorship programs that you can take advantage of.

Incubator Or Accelerator

Startup incubators exist to help businesses and startups refine their ideas and build their business so that they’re viable and market-ready. Accelerators provide startups with some of the resources they need to build their enterprise. Both these offer mentorship to early-stage businesses. If you’re looking for mentorship and technical support from business experts, you should consider joining an incubator or accelerator. While they tend to target tech startups, some of them cater to a broader audience.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn lets you connect with some of your favourite business figures. But you can go further than just linking up with them. If you would like to find a mentor there, you may send a private message via the platform to people who you’d like to be your mentors. Let them know that you’re keen on learning from them. While your request may be declined (or won’t be responded to), there’s no harm in trying. Your best-loved business personality may very well be open to mentoring you.

Final Words

If you’re looking to get mentored by someone competent and experienced, you could find them in the places we’ve discussed here. Many of them may be eager to help upcoming business people like you. But you probably won’t know this for certain until you reach out to them. Featured Image Source: Black Connect
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This article was first published on 12th October 2021

ikenna-nwachukwu

Ikenna Nwachukwu holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He loves to look at the world through multiple lenses- economic, political, religious and philosophical- and to write about what he observes in a witty, yet reflective style.


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