10 Resources for Finding a Business Mentor

Inc.com's Small Business Success Guide: Whether you are just starting out or running a large company, it helps to have a mentor to whom you can turn with questions large and small. Bill Gates has called Warren Buffett his mentor, which just goes to show that a a trusted adviser can be an invaluable asset for any entrepreneur.

In the first months of opening your business, you'll need to make many important decisions. But you don't have to make every decision on your own. Ultimately, you're responsible for you business, but you can always consult a mentor for advice. What is a mentor?

Searching for a business mentor to help guide your small company is often a daunting task. Of course, one of the most well-known resources to start with is the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE), which offers free mentoring services, whether you prefer an online or face-to-face connection.

I never had a business mentor until I started blogging. I could definitely have done with one though because I've been running my own business for 13 years and still have heaps to learn. That's what makes it challenging and fun. But I badly wanted a mentor when I started blogging and expanding my business.

Mentors are a massive help in business, but all too often we meet business owners who just don't know where to find one. This guide will introduce you to the main places you can look, and you can find out more detail about everything mentioned in this guide in this feature, which also explains what to do once you've identified a potential mentor.

Q: How can I find a business mentor to help me start my company? A: The phrase "business mentor" means different things to different people-from casual relationships to long-term friendships. When people think of mentors, they may think of a retiree they met at their daughter's soccer practice who gave them some pointers on dealing with bankers.

It pays to have a helping hand to get ahead in the workplace whether you're transitioning to the nonprofit world from the for-profit one, or switching into a whole new field. Most of us can benefit from having a mentor or sponsor at our back to teach, promote and encourage us.

Ask anyone successful in any line of work how they did it, and there's at least one thing they'll all agree on: You'll never make it without the guidance of special people who've walked your path before. "Define what you want a mentor for - finance, marketing, sales, product development," Sugars says.

Filed in: Resources and Support for Women in Business How to Find a Business Mentor for Women Since women think like women and men think like men you may be better off finding a female mentor. Women also encounter a different set of problems in the work force than men do.

Running a business can be a lonely experience. It often involves having to make difficult decisions on your own, without anyone to turn to for advice and support. The experience and guidance of a high calibre mentor can make the difference between success and failure for an ambitious company with high growth potential.

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