Many people have a hard time starting a business. The fear of the unknown, not enough money to start up, and many other factors can make it difficult for an entrepreneur to get started. One way that you can avoid these obstacles is by having a mentor from the beginning.

What is a mentor?

A mentor is someone that you can talk to about business and how to run it. They will provide unbiased wisdom, guidance, and advice from someone who has been in your shoes before. It can be a variety of things from random thoughts regarding the future of the company, having difficult conversations with your employees or even your spouse, or just simply what direction to take in a situation that may not have a right answer. Mentors are also great for providing encouragement when times get tough. Why? Because they have been through these hard periods before and came out on top!  

So why should you bother going after a mentor? Why shouldn't you just try figuring everything out yourself?

1. You need HELP.

Starting a business isn't simple and you don't need to deal with all of the pressure alone. You also can get a fresh perspective on things that you may not have thought about before!  

2. Mentors are a valuable resource for advice, guidance, and experience.

Mentors have been where you are before and can give you invaluable insight into your current situation. Many times the hard part about starting a business is putting one foot in front of the other and walking down a path that you may not know exists yet. This makes it easy to get stuck on even the most simple of decisions due to your lack of knowledge of how things will affect your company in the future or how they work now! When this happens you can either guess what to do or ask someone else for help.

3. Mentors provide an unbiased source for reason, logic, and strategy.

A mentor is impartial when giving their opinion. Why? Because they don't have a personal investment in your business- you won't hurt their feelings if you take one of their suggestions and it doesn't work out. They also get the opportunity to look at your business from an outsider's view, which can sometimes get difficult when you are too deep into it yourself. This is good for any small business owner! Why not get unbiased insight on how you can make your company better or what direction to take.

4. You can get an outside perspective of your business that you may not have thought about before.

Sometimes we forget all of the little details and problems that we deal with every day because we are so focused on them. An outside source who hasn't been living and breathing this life with you for the past few years can provide a fresh perspective on how to fix things or improve everything.

How to find the right person to be your mentor?

Finding the right mentor can be a daunting task for many entrepreneurs. Why not start by looking in your network? Who do you know that has been successful in their business before and could provide some sound advice from time to time? When you find someone, simply ask them if they would be up to the task of being a temporary mentor in your life! Why wouldn't they want to help you in any way that they could? They have knowledge, experience, and time- it only makes sense for them to use all three of those things to help out a fellow entrepreneur when given the opportunity. Why shouldn't we take advantage of this free resource our community provides us with?  

Sometimes though you won't know anyone who is successful enough or willing to give you some of their valuable time. Why not look for someone outside of your network who has the qualities that are important to you? What are these qualities? Well, they can be anything!  

For example, maybe you are interested in finding someone with similar or contrasting business experience so that they can give contrasting advice. Why not have a mentee while your mentor is also your competitor? Why shouldn't we share our experiences and knowledge with one another if it will help out both parties involved? It's also common to find people who may have more industry experience than you or less- why not go after them as mentors too!

Whatever the case may be, don't get discouraged by this seemingly difficult task! Why not put yourself out there and give it a try? Why not ask for what you want instead of waiting for it to drop in your lap? Why not go out there and get the mentor that you deserve so that you can have the best possible chance at success?

Tips for making sure that they're the best fit for you and your goals.

• Make sure that the mentor is in the same kind of business as you are
• The person should be experienced but still standing where you stand today
• The best mentors will push you out of your comfort zone.

What happens if you don't have a business mentor?

When you don't have a mentor, it will be hard to make progress in your small business. Why? Because you will be making all the decisions by yourself without much input or insight from someone else. It's important that all entrepreneurs take advantage of having a mentor because it can change their business for the better if they do so. Why not utilize every single bit of resources at your fingertips so that you can grow exponentially by magnitudes instead of barely crawling up from one percent to two percent growth each quarter.

When should I start looking for a mentor?

There is no such thing as too early! The earlier you find someone who you feel like you could learn from the better. Why not get out there and start asking people if they would be willing to mentor you, show them your small business and what your goals are- chances are that many people will want to help out just because they love being involved with companies that are just starting up. Once you have found someone who is willing to mentor you, do your best to stay in touch regardless of what happens with your business. Why? Because that person can end up being one of your greatest resources and friends! 

Now that you understand the benefits of having a business mentor, it's time to find one. You can start by checking out some Google searches or company listings for "business mentors." I hope this article has helped make your decision easier and given you the confidence to take action on finding an advisor who will help you grow your own success.