4 Ways to Find a Small Business Mentor

Having a mentor can guide you on the right path in entrepreneurship. From increasing the size of your network to boosting your self-confidence and helping you avoid common start-up mistakes, there are many ways mentors can help. Here are four ways to find a small business mentor to help get you on the path to success:

1. At Work

If you’re still working for a company while you make the shift to entrepreneurship, a manager or superior could be a great mentor. Rick Bains, co-founder of BDG Chartered Accountants LLP in Surrey, British Columbia, found a mentor in his prior boss. 

Rick attributes much of his ability to remain calm under the pressures of entrepreneurship to his mentor, “In the seven years I was at the firm, I never once saw my boss look stressed due to pressure. He never panicked or got angry. He taught me how to focus on the things that were in my control, work effectively under pressure, and maintain a good work-life balance.”

2. At University

Classrooms are a great place to meet mentors. The same people surround you every week, giving you the opportunity to learn about each of their personalities and strengths. Whether you ask a fellow student for help and exchange your individual skills, or you get guidance from your instructor, both are perfect opportunities for mentorship.

Carol Susan Cohen, associate dean of first-year and sophomore studies at Brown University believes, “Mentors can be found in many corners of a college or university, so keep your antennae up for that instructor or advisor who makes you feel supported, challenged, inspired, or all three.”

3. Family

Your family probably isn’t the first group you think about when looking for a mentor. But, if any of them are small business owners, they could offer a lot of valuable advice. You also have the benefit of knowing that person well, so you can foresee what their mentorship style would be like.

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, thanks his parents for being his mentors. He commented in an interview with Fortune, “As I was starting Microsoft, I’d go over on Sundays and share with my parents what the challenges were and get some thoughts (and) just vent about what was complicated. I remember when we were taking the company public, I was saying that I thought that would have some real drawbacks, and we talked about how to mitigate those.”

4. Professional Mentorship Organizations

Many small business owners are surprised to know they can get mentors from professional organizations. There are a variety of non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and companies that offer paid mentorship or free mentorship subject to certain criteria. 

The benefit of mentors from professional organizations is that they are usually required to sign conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements. The mentorships are also structured and set for certain periods of time allowing you to reach attainable goals. 

Here are a few mentorship programs available to you:

Small Business BC is Here to Help

SBBC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Whatever your idea of success is, we’re here to provide holistic support and resources at every step of the journey. Check out our range of business webinars, on-demand E-Learning Education, our Talk to an Expert Advisories, or browse our business articles.

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