These days, we can look up mostly anything on the internet, and this has led a lot of people to now turn to YouTube videos, DIY blogs, and online courses whenever they need to learn something new. However, if there’s one thing you can never DIY, it’s growing a business, and that’s where a mentor comes in. Finding the right business mentor is extremely important because you will be entrusting them with your time, resources, and future career. A business mentor can affect not just your ROI, but also your ability to maintain a healthy work/life balance, your development as a leader, how your issues affect your business, and much more. Unless you’re super lucky, finding the right mentor can take multiple attempts, so in this article, we’ve listed five signs that mean you’ve gotten lucky and picked the right one.
They’re approachable and easy to talk to
Your mentor should be an expert in your field, but if they’re not approachable or easy to talk to, then you’ll have a hard time learning from them. Inc’s guide to finding the right mentor mentioned that the right one is someone who can clearly explain and communicate what they know, on top of actually taking the time to do so. Their willingness and desire to impart their expertise in such a way that will make sense for you and your company is also essential.
They motivate and inspire you
Regardless of the field you are in, establishing a business is hard. There are moments when even after you’ve done everything you can, you still fail to achieve your desired outcome. The right mentor will serve as your confidant: they will listen to you, offer advice and, most importantly, help keep you motivated and inspired. Your mentor will encourage you to reach your full potential and persist even in the face of failure.
You have similar goals for the future
 One sign of a great mentor is that they have your best interests at heart. For one, they’re not encouraging you to spend beyond your means even as you grow more financially successful. Preventing lifestyle inflation includes knowing the cost of climbing the ladder in business. This involves being aware of how much you’re spending when it comes to “dinners out with colleagues, happy hours after work, and other after-hours social commitments.” With a goal similar to yours, your mentor will teach you how to effectively manage your finances and not overindulge, especially if you are doing well at work.
They encourage you to step out of your comfort zone
The right mentor will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and challenge yourself. You won’t be able to learn anything unless your mentor gets you to consider new perspectives. The right mentors are the ones who teach mentees by challenging their views and opinions when it counts, as opposed to dismissing the mentee’s ideas based on seniority.
They are truly honest with you
Your mentor should be your honest critic and be the first one to provide you with feedback. As entrepreneurs get caught up in the daily operations of their company, they tend to overlook a lot of things. The characteristics of a good mentor are that they will inform you of your shortcomings without breaking your confidence and aid you in identifying corrective actions that you can take to be more successful in the future.
As highlighted in a previous article, one of the ways you can ensure that the business you’ve dedicated your whole life to stays flourishing is by training individuals who follow in on your footsteps or becoming a mentor yourself. After getting guidance and help from the best, pay it forward, and be an effective mentor when it’s your turn.
This guest post was written by Bernadette Jones for the sole use of Cogent Analytics, LLC.
At Cogent Analytics, we never stop looking for ways to improve your business and neither should you. So, check out some of our other posts for helpful business information:
Cogent Analytics, LLC is a business management consulting firm, with a primary focus to help small to medium size, privately held businesses achieve success and long term profitability. Cogent provides powerful solutions with integrity and transparency to privately-held businesses throughout the United States.
