I remember when I was a young lawyer, had just awakened with the idea for my first book and a class I wanted to teach about it – and I didn’t have the first clue about this thing called “marketing”.
So my first step was to find a mentor who was already doing what I wanted to do – become a seminar presenter and consultant (this was before coaching) – and I followed her around like a shadow for over a year!
I attended her trainings, worked with her 1:1, and gradually mastered the best practices of starting and running a consulting business. And it worked! I saved time, money and energy having someone to guide me to what I should – and shouldn’t – do along the way.
And that process has continued throughout my professional life, having worked with probably a dozen mentors in depth – including my current coach – to help me with various skills and stages of my business.
But here’s the million dollar question (literally! It can make a difference of 6 or 7 figures in your business!): How do you know WHO the right mentor is for you?
Here are 6 questions to ask about a mentor you are considering to see if they are right for you:
- Are they living the lifestyle and business model you desire to create?For example, if you wish to balance duties as a mom with home based business, are they living that? If you aspire to 7 figures in income and a larger team, are they living that? If you want to get off the speaking circuit and do webinars and web coaching, you wouldn’t want to mentor with a full time in-person keynote speaker.
- Are they no more than 2 years ahead of having achieved the result so they aren’t too far from it to forget the challenges of getting started? Once people get distance between their achievement and their mentoring, they can lose the true compassion and ability to relate to the clients who are just getting going.
- Do they have a personality style that challenges AND supports you?You want to be stretched through the mentoring, but not shamed. And you want to be supported but not just have the coach “rubber stamp” all of your ideas. Look for the balance.
- Is the mentoring format right for you (virtual versus in person retreats, etc.)? (And if travel is required, are you prepared for those expenses too?)
- Can you sample their style in a discovery session before committing?Most coaches will offer a complimentary 30-minute session to explore your goals and challenges before committing to a program. This gives both of you a chance to see if the relationship is a fit.
- What do others who have worked with them say about them? The words of their clients – including what’s between the lines! – says volumes about the mentor, as well as the type of results they can achieve.
No matter where you are in your business today – starting out or moving to a new level – you will realize tremendous benefits and cost savings by working with a mentor.
Could you and I be the right fit? Let’s talk and find out! Book your complimentary Wealthy Womanpreneur Breakthrough Session today – and let’s help you accelerate the path to your dreams!