3 reasons why you should consider having a Mentor

In an age where instant gratification is craved, it is incredibly surprising that many young entrepreneurs and founders don’t seek a mentor like they would an innovative business idea or fresh marketing strategy, albeit a woeful number of entrepreneurs start off their career without a mentor, but why?

While debates abound on why entrepreneurs should instead follow their own instincts, most successful business’ have founders who had mentors, with one of the most prolific being Steve Jobs for Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg.

Mentors are a crucial part of the development and understanding of particular skills, industries and markets. Plenty of young SME owners would perhaps take inspiration to succeed from business leaders of large corporations, but we often forget the art of face-to-face communication, and having someone who genuinely cares about your development by supporting you every step of the way.

Here are 3 reasons why you should consider having a mentor:

Experience and Network

Experience is a highly expensive asset, yet it’s crucial for any business success story. An understanding of an industry or market is important to get off your mark immediately before competitors, and by having someone positively incite you may be an advantage in itself.

Mentorship is a guaranteed way to gain from others, which could not be executed through coaching books. Aside from the insights, a successful mentor has an unlimited network of people who can benefit your career, and this is an opportunity you cannot utilise if you don’t have this guidance.

Encouragement and Reassurance

A quality mentor has an extremely positive effect on young entrepreneurs. Having someone who guides you and shares your worries with you – often appeasing your fears with their years of experience – keeps you reassured and encourages you to keep going, despite wanting to quit. Mentors have the capacity to instil their self-confidence and see every challenge as an opportunity.

Develop a stronger EQ

Emotional intelligence is crucial to entrepreneurial success, fundamental for communication, leadership and self-awareness. When a young entrepreneur has a more mature and experienced mentor on their side, they are likely to have greater control over their emotions, enabling for development to be efficient and effective within the saturated and fast-paced business environment.

Having a mentor-culture in your workplace

It is important to highlight that mentorship is less about the structure and more about the impact. However, if you are a business owner with young talent, mentorship may be the answer for retainment and motivation.

In addition to the personal growth, providing a mentor culture within your workplace could compliment the efficiency by solidifying the optimism through investment in your people. Leaders succeed when they have the chance to connect with others and learn, and this could ultimately save your company time. Ask your employees about their career aspirations and match them with a leader in the position they see themselves in someday.

Ultimately, companies benefit from increased communication and a more skilled workforce, while employees feel more valued and informed.