TranslateSCORE Small Business Talk: Benefits of Having a Business Mentor
September 6, 2022
Rating
Signing up to work with a SCORE Mentor is easy. Many are doing it every day. In fact, SCORE Port Charlotte, along with the other chapters in our district, has the highest combined total client services in the nation. Working with a SCORE Mentor offers many advantages to entrepreneurs. Whether you’re in the early stages of exploring a business idea or already running an established business, a mentor can provide valuable guidance and serve as an objective sounding board for evaluating new ideas. They will motivate you to be more accountable. With a SCORE Mentor, you benefit from experience and expertise that can help you launch and/or grow your business.
Here are some tips on how to make your first visit, and all your visits, with your SCORE Mentor beneficial to you and your business. As always, planning and preparation are important.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Come to your meeting prepared with a list of questions and issues you’re facing. SCORE mentors are available to answer even what seem to be the silliest questions. It is said there is no such thing as a dumb question. Trust me, I have heard some that push that boundary, but with a little more digging, the answer made a difference. Mentors are there to develop your understanding and awareness of your business and business in general.
Keep focused. When talking with your mentor be entirely present and ready to focus on your business issues. Practice good listening techniques. Expect the same from your mentor. Put digital devices away so they won't distract you from your conversation. Take notes and make certain you understand the advice that is being offered. If not, go
back to the previous paragraph.
Be prepared to work. Your mentor is there to advise you, not to do the work for you. You will gain insight and direction from a mentor, but you will still have to do the work. Starting and/or growing a business requires effort—no exceptions. Do your homework! You should walk away from every meeting with your mentor with action items. Make sure you complete what you agreed to do between meetings. If you slack off and don’t take the initiative to complete the tasks necessary to move forward, you won’t be able to take full advantage of your time together. You and your mentor may not always see eye to eye on certain ideas or approaches. Consider your mentor’s frame of reference and experience in working with other SCORE clients who faced similar challenges. The right answer may not always be what you want to hear, so it’s important to keep an open mind. Keep the lines of communication open. When first starting your business, you will probably need to meet with your mentor every week. As time goes by, your need to consult your mentor may decrease depending on changes in your industry, the economy, your market, or your competition. Keep your mentor up to date on what’s happening in your business by email or a periodic phone call. That way, your mentor will be better equipped to provide guidance when you do face a new challenge. I advise every business owner to have a “Power Team” or “Advisory Board” to help them guide their business. Make certain a SCORE Mentor is part of that team. Let me know your thoughts at eddavis@scorevolunteer.org. For more information and assistance with your business or to request a mentor visit Port Charlotte SCORE at www.portcharlotte.score.org. Volunteers provide confidential business advice to meet the needs of both start-up and existing entrepreneurs at no cost. To learn how you can become a SCORE volunteer contact Nils.Weibull@scorevolunteer.org. Follow us on Twitter; @charlottecscore.
Here are some tips on how to make your first visit, and all your visits, with your SCORE Mentor beneficial to you and your business. As always, planning and preparation are important.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Come to your meeting prepared with a list of questions and issues you’re facing. SCORE mentors are available to answer even what seem to be the silliest questions. It is said there is no such thing as a dumb question. Trust me, I have heard some that push that boundary, but with a little more digging, the answer made a difference. Mentors are there to develop your understanding and awareness of your business and business in general.
Keep focused. When talking with your mentor be entirely present and ready to focus on your business issues. Practice good listening techniques. Expect the same from your mentor. Put digital devices away so they won't distract you from your conversation. Take notes and make certain you understand the advice that is being offered. If not, go
back to the previous paragraph.
Be prepared to work. Your mentor is there to advise you, not to do the work for you. You will gain insight and direction from a mentor, but you will still have to do the work. Starting and/or growing a business requires effort—no exceptions. Do your homework! You should walk away from every meeting with your mentor with action items. Make sure you complete what you agreed to do between meetings. If you slack off and don’t take the initiative to complete the tasks necessary to move forward, you won’t be able to take full advantage of your time together. You and your mentor may not always see eye to eye on certain ideas or approaches. Consider your mentor’s frame of reference and experience in working with other SCORE clients who faced similar challenges. The right answer may not always be what you want to hear, so it’s important to keep an open mind. Keep the lines of communication open. When first starting your business, you will probably need to meet with your mentor every week. As time goes by, your need to consult your mentor may decrease depending on changes in your industry, the economy, your market, or your competition. Keep your mentor up to date on what’s happening in your business by email or a periodic phone call. That way, your mentor will be better equipped to provide guidance when you do face a new challenge. I advise every business owner to have a “Power Team” or “Advisory Board” to help them guide their business. Make certain a SCORE Mentor is part of that team. Let me know your thoughts at eddavis@scorevolunteer.org. For more information and assistance with your business or to request a mentor visit Port Charlotte SCORE at www.portcharlotte.score.org. Volunteers provide confidential business advice to meet the needs of both start-up and existing entrepreneurs at no cost. To learn how you can become a SCORE volunteer contact Nils.Weibull@scorevolunteer.org. Follow us on Twitter; @charlottecscore.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
