Find Mentors

Find Mentors

Mentors are people who can give you advice and connect you to the kind of people who can make your idea work. They may be family friends, past pupils from your school, members of your community, older siblings and other people with business experience or knowledge in an area that’s related to your idea.

How to find good mentors
1. Not all mentors are good mentors. Know what you need from your mentor – business advice, career support, useful contacts or emotional support. You may decide to find different mentors for different purposes.
2. After you know what type of mentor you need, start looking for potential mentors among the people you know.
3. Talk to family, friends, neighbors and teachers who could introduce you to good mentors.
4. If you can, go to industry-related events to meet potential mentors.

Building good mentorships
1. Don’t ask someone to mentor you, unless you’re sure they have the time to commit to helping you. If you’re not sure, try to build the relationship slowly through conversations and meetings.
2. You need to grow your mentorships by setting up meetings and opportunities to talk to your mentor. But make sure not to waste their time. For each meeting, have a set list of things you’d like to discuss.
3. Don’t rely too much on your mentor. It’s fine to ask for advice, but remember to use your own judgment as well.
4. Know what you have to offer. Good mentors are often busy. If you can help them out with their own projects, you’ll probably get more time with them. In the process, you might also make some useful new contacts.

For more info on mentors, check out:
1.http://www.youngentrepreneurs.net.au/mentoring
2.http://mysuperchargedlife.com/blog/how-a-young-entrepreneur-can-benefit-from-a-good-mentor/