4 Steps To Find The Right Mentor: People often say that finding a mentor is essential as an entrepreneur, especially a young one at that. I am a sophomore at Duke University and the co-founder of Star Toilet Paper, so the experience I had prior to starting this company is my camp and caddying experience. So how do I even know what steps to take or how to develop a business?
While many people within the realm of entrepreneurship are willing to be helpful, there is a big difference between someone who answers a few questions for you and someone who is genuinely interested and invested (not monetarily) in both your company and in you. To me, the most important aspect of a mentor is the latter of the two; your mentor must have a vested interest in learning more about you and what you wish to do to change the world with your new company.
But how do you go about obtaining this type of mentor, and how do you know if they are the right person?
Where: In college, I have access to both people and resources. But you don't need to be a student to access the people and resources you need. In any major city, there will be a variety of incubators, accelerators and universities that are hotbeds for innovation and centers of knowledge. That does not mean that you need to find the entrepreneurship professor at the closest university. See what is around you and how you can make the most out of those resources. I have found that it is often the third or fourth degree of separation that leads to the best person for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment