The Importance of Mentors & How to Find Them
They are out they and they want to be found.
"Get mentors." That's Alexa von Toble's advice to young entrepreneurs.
Von Toble, who remains CEO of LearnVest, the financial planning company which sold for more than $250 million in 2015, echoes something we've always promoted at Create & Cultivate.
Mentors are not only a wealth of information for the career-driven young-preneur, they also help boost your confidence by given you actionable advice. Something we consider vital when you're starting out.
So why mentors?
Mentors are inspiring
Ask any successful person about their career trajectory and they will always cite people who have inspired them. They have stories that push us to work harder. They've made mistakes we can learn from. They have wins that keep us going.
It's like having an inspirational professional playbook.
Mentors tell you when you should do better
Constructive criticism is easier to take from a mentor than from a boss. If you've chosen one or two people who you really trust, then you can remove any workplace issues or resentments that make it hard to hear what your boss (or superior) is saying.
No one likes being told that they're wrong. Or that their work needs improvement. But when it is coming from an objective third party, it's much easier to stomach and will likely inspire you to *gasp* do better.
Mentors have key relationships
If you impress your mentor, chances are they are going to find a way to connect you to other people who matter, professionally speaking. Often this can happen naturally. People who are willing to be mentors like connecting the dots and as such, will connect the dots.
Plus paying it forward is a win-win. When you are in a position to introduce them or connect them to new clients, do it.
Mentors know what it takes to make it
Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. That's what it takes, and when you're midnight-deep in another oil burner at the office, and you don't think you can do it anymore, a text to your mentor that reminds you they were once (and probably still are — because making it means even later hours) in the same boat, goes a long way.
They've also heard "NO" a million ways and never gave up.
A little bit of encouragement from someone you respect and trust? That's the juice that turns into a money-making smoothie.
Just because you’ve made it, doesn’t mean you don’t need a mentor
Sophia Rivka Rossi co-founder of HelloGiggles, has “made it” by most professional standards. The feel-good company online platform was acquired by TIME last year for an estimated $30 million. And yet, when speaking with Elizabeth Rice and Julie Cutler, co-founders of SoulCycle, she cited both women as her mentors, and who she continues to look to for for inspiration. Smart, savvy, successful business women never stop learning. It's how you grow. Even when you think you're tall AF — there are still professional inches to be gained.
Where to find them
One, at Create & Cultivate. Have you become an insider yet?
Two, six degrees of separation is real. One very simple way to see who knows who you want to know, is to look through who your friends follow on Instagram. You'd be surprised to find out how interwoven our lives are. Then, craft that DM and tell person X that you'd love to bring them coffee and take 15 minutes of their time.
It could be the beginning of an amazing working relationship.
MORE ON THE BLOG
Startup Toolkit: Get on Track with These Amazing Business Tools
Creating and managing a business isn’t easy. If it was, success would grow on money trees. And though the struggle is part of the process, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Let's say you’ve started your business, but now you need tools. Apps to make sure you're meeting all of your goals-- and your meetings.
To get your week started off on the right foot, we’re listing some of the best websites and apps to keep you on the right track to building a strong business!
Learnvest
If you’re just starting your business and are looking for a financial planner, Learnvest is for you. Knowing exactly where every nickel and dime goes is key to growth. Learnvest helps you keep strict tabs on your finances in both a simple and affordable (bonus!) way. Not only that, you get personalized advice that is aimed at both your personal and business financial goals. Get your financial plan in action and climb one step closer to the top of the ladder.
GoLive HQ
You know your company or brand isn’t set without a proper website. It's the face you show the web world. So forget that pretty (but boring) template that’s been used time and again. What you need is to call GO LIVE HQ for the most dynamic web design that’s right for your brand. The amazing all-girl team at Go Live HQ will Hook. You. Up. These web-savvy ladies will connect you with web designs, brand resources, and Go Live workshops that make web design easy as pie.
Mailchimp
If you haven’t thought about including a newsletter into your brand’s digital strategy, then think again. Even if you feel intimidated by the idea, Mailchimp makes creating and sending out newsletters simple. Not only is Mailchimp easy to use, but the service allows you to send emails at optimized times, and provides you with analytics that track newsletter campaigns and click-through rates. As the chimps say: send better email.
Asana
Some people work off their notebooks and write down every little thing they need to do every day. It's old school. It works. Sort of. Asana helps you project manage a lot better. It helps you craft a perfect to-do list. It also assists in managing team projects. You and your colleagues can check off tasks that are done, as well as easily see what still needs to be completed. It's effective digital teamwork. You do want to be organized, right?
Slack
Slack is the perfect way for you to communicate with your team. You can transfer files, integrate the tools that you already use for work (like Asana, Mailchimp, Twitter, Dropbox, and Google Drive), as well as categorize conversations based on what department you’re in. With Slack, you might just (happily) say goodbye to your outdated email, and switch to the platform that makes communication and team productivity much easier, more streamlined, and more transparent.
Shake
As a business owner, you have to know what contracts and legal agreements are going to keep your business running. That’s where Shake comes in. Shake is an app that allows you to create, sign, and send legally binding agreements in seconds. Perfect for business owners and freelancers alike, Shake aims to remove the stress of creating legally-binding agreements. If you’re hiring ,or just got hired for a freelance gig, Shake is going to be a lifesaver for you.