Page 98 - Benjamin Franklin\'s The Way to Wealth: A 52 brilliant ideas interpretation - PDFDrive.com

define ‘it’, and now has the time to give something back. If they’re any
good, they are also in the learning business themselves and aim to pick up
as much from you as you will from them. Which brings me to the last and
most wonderful thing about a mentor—mentoring is usually free since the
quid pro quo is the learning exchange. If you’re running an SME then
good, free advice is not something you can afford to pass up on.

It’s not difficult to find a mentor and while there are paid-for services
available online there are also a lot of programmes being offered by the
governments of the UK (try local government and organisations like The
Prince’s Trust), Canada, NZ, and the US (try the Small Business
Development Centers). Remember that with a mentor the more you put into
it the more you both get out of it, so try to meet up as much as possible.
That in turn means it’s best if you get on well enough to spend serious
time in each other’s company—so choose wisely.

HERE’S AN IDEA FOR YOU…
Start by ‘auditioning’ a number of possible mentors. Begin by
brainstorming your goals for the relationship, then arrange to meet a
select few for a ‘one off’ meeting to find who you click best with. See
which person has the most input on your brainstormed list and take it
from there.