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There is a need for a mentor in any field. Being it in academics, business, research, etc., the presence of an excellent guide will always make a difference. A mentor is someone who has succeeded in a specific field, is trusted and whose counseling in that particular area is considered the best. 

When you are just beginning out on something, say you want to enroll in a new school, start a new business or changing a career, you need somebody, a well-established person, who will stand beside you and help you out during those tough times.

No gurus (Experts)

Probably, you‘ve met a million gurus before, especially on the net, but a business mentor may not have occurred to you before. A business mentor is meant to guide you through your entrepreneurship journey – giving you advice, suggestions and providing solutions to your challenges and difficulties. Anything worth doing in life has that initial severe stages when things will seem more tough and stressful. Having a mentor increase the chances of success in any area and business is not an exception. Business mentor means you have somebody who has faced and conquered the same problems as you and understands the ways through which you can escape from the world of single amateur control over business crisis and risks. The truth is you need a business mentor. When looking for one, take the following tips into consideration.

How To Find A Mentor

Niche- You must choose a business mentor from the same niche as you. To get the best from their coaching and experiences, your business mentor must be a lucky person in your area of specialty. The reason I started my first affiliate marketing business was a webinar I had paid good money for. The teacher took me from zero to quitting my day job in 12 months. 

My learning curve was almost annihilated because of his support and guidance. I received such knowledge that others need years of trial and error to get. Nevertheless, the fact that somebody is successful in a particular niche shouldn’t necessarily make him your mentor. For example, having a software developer or a plumber coach you in affiliate marketing might not be the brightest idea.

• Associate – You will have higher chances of meeting the right business mentor if you network well. Sitting in a place and hoping that (s)he comes from nowhere won’t do you any good. Go out to forums, social networking sites and other places specialized to your field and mingle with people who are higher than you. Visit even the local clubs and associations that are related to your area and get connected to successful people there. Starting your communication gently and in the right manner will help increase your chances of being welcomed

• Look At Their Achievements – Don’t just pick somebody because they are specialized in your area. Your ideal business mentor must have good records. Take your time and analyze their achievements of activities, skills, and performance. Your decision should not be based on what they claim to be. Most people fake their identity and possibly present false self-images. Your decision should be based on facts.

• Overnight Success Doesn’t Exist – Don’t expect that your ideal business mentor will shoot you to success within few minutes of finding him. Getting the best SEO consultant won’t give you top rankings next morning. No, it doesn’t work like that. It takes just the same systemized approach as you would have done. But now basing those on steps and principles you are sure will work by following the directions and suggestions of your mentor. Clear your mind of getting results immediately as you meet the right guide and be committed to putting in more efforts. Overnight business success is not ideal, and you should never follow any person or “guru” promising you such.

A good business mentor will stand by your side both during good times and tough times. You stand to benefit from your mentor’s experience and tested business strategies – the one great reason mentors are needed. If you haven’t been thinking about it, then you have a re-think to do today. 
And remember: buy your guide a pizza and a couple of beers from time to time and you will have the deepest “secrets” of your specialty fall in your hands.

There are almost too many reasons to have a mentor. After reading this, you will wonder how you did it to get by without it! Why is it good to have a mentor? 

Here are seven most important reason that why do you need a professional mentor: 7 benefits of having a mentor at work.

1. Get emotional support if needed

Being an entrepreneur can turn out to be quite a lonely experience. Often, the colleagues we work with are not the people we can trust. We will never talk to employees or clients about our financial situation, nor will our accountants be emotionally involved when it comes to keeping our books. Eventually, even a spouse, family members, and close friends will get tired of hearing about your business. Over time, anything that seems remarkable or conducive to a change of life for entrepreneurs becomes annoying for their support network.

It is, therefore, important to have a mentor who plays a supportive role. The ins and outs of finances and the proper way to deal with the unknown can often seem too heavy for the shoulders of a single person.
Also read: How To Invest Money Wisely For Beginners

2. Making better business decisions

Statistics have proved that two heads are better than one. When a team passes a test, as opposed to a single individual undergoing the same test, the team almost always gets a higher score. The same reasoning can be applied to business decisions. Decisions you make with your mentor will make more sense. For example, you can make your own sales forecasts, but it is possible that your mentor's predictions are different. The average of these two estimates will often be closer to the actual outcome.

3. Have an overview of the issue

An outside person can see a situation more objectively and clearly. She is not emotionally involved, and she will not get lost in the details.

In large companies, the use of consultants, recruitment of outsiders, and redistribution of senior management are precisely tactics used to achieve this objective view. Mentors are an excellent solution for the owner of an SME who can not see his company objectively since he works there every day.

4. Reduce the learning curve

Mentors are often chosen based on matching the entrepreneur's needs with their experience. In most cases, these mentors are retirees, entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs who have decided to help other entrepreneurs.

Benefiting from the advice of a mentor who has a vision and knowledge from his/her previous experience and who can recommend resource persons from his or her entourage will help you dramatically reduce your learning curve. If you do not know how to do a thing, you will not have to do so many trials and errors. All you have to do is go to your mentor who, for his part, will already have been there!

5. Learning how to get along with others

Working alone and being his own boss has advantages. You have control. You make decisions, and you go ahead without worrying about the opinions of others. However, this independence can sometimes erode essential qualities such as the ability to be humble, to listen and to integrate into a team. Eventually, you will have to work with investors, customers, and suppliers. You will have to act as a teammate. Working with a mentor can help you maintain, and even improve, this set of skills.

6. Obtain more relevant and more appropriate recommendations

Your instructor believes in you. Otherwise, he will not give you time to help. This makes him a member of your circle of admirers, who will talk about your business to other people.

You choose a mentor because this person is respected in your industry and because many people turn to her for advice.

When your mentor talks about your company to others, they respect the favorable opinion it has of you. Thus, the recommendations will manifest themselves naturally after that.
Also read: 4 Multitasking Mistakes You're Screwing Up Your Productivity

7. Ensure the application of best practices

When you solve a problem with your mentor, you learn how to deal with similar problems that arise later.

Learning by reading or watching videos provides a retention rate of up to 20%. On the other hand, working with a trainer or mentor increases your retention levels to 75% or more, and prepares you for the future.

So what would be the first recommendation of a good guide? Find yourself a mentor!