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Where to Find a Mentor

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-by Myron Gordon

Now that you’ve started your Business Plan, it’s a good time to think about finding a Mentor. While this might seem like an onerous task, there are some activities that will make the process easier. The one piece of advice to remember is that you must be willing to leave your office or business and start talking to other people. It’s almost impossible to establish a mentor network without leaving your office.

The first thing to do is to ask your business acquaintances and friends if they have a mentor or are involved in a mentor group. Quite often you will find that business associates have already established a network of mentors you can tap into. Likely these mentors will be successful business operators within your sphere of operation.

Another source for business mentors are the many associations and groups which specialize in certain areas of business. For example, restaurants can belong to the local restaurant association. Members of these associations will be able to refer you to mentors who have specific knowledge of your type of industry.

The local Chamber of Commerce is another excellent place to find mentors. Chamber members represent almost every occupation and industry, thus provide you with access to a large selection of potential mentors. Attending lunches, seminars, golf tournaments, and other events will help to introduce you to numerous potential mentors.

A new source for mentors is a program being launched by the BC Regional Science and Technology Network and is being delivered thru the Innovation Research Council (IRC). This province wide program matches businesses with mentors on a one to one basis. While this program is new and is just getting underway, it will provide businesses with mentors from not only their immediate business segment but also throughout the province. At present time this program is primarily aimed at technology companies. However it is expected to be expanded once this program becomes established.

Another source to find mentors is as simple as using your peers. The advantage to using your peers is that they will likely understand the issues and problems which you will be experiencing. This means that they will usually be more than willing to exchange ideas, advice and knowledge without either of you feeling overwhelmed or inadequate. Often these mentoring partnerships will result in strategic partnerships or a new business ventures being formed. Finding these mentors can be as easy as talking to suppliers, customers and competitors, or you will likely find the mentors in educational settings or at seminars and conventions.

Finally, for those who are still a little nervous about approaching someone to act as a mentor, there is an on-line tool which could be of help. This tool is called the “small business check-up tool” and is a web site where business owners can anonymously compare their business to industry benchmarks. Once that is done the site has tools available to help you develop new strategies and improve your business. The address for this site is www.smallbusinesscheckup.com

Remember, most people are flattered if you ask them for advice and help. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of that.

Myron Gordon owns TMSG Management Services Group, which provides management and financial services to growing businesses.
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