Perhaps no factor is more closely associated with success as an entrepreneur than is the mentoring of a new entrepreneur by an experienced entrepreneur. When you work in isolation, you tend to make the same mistakes others have made. A mentor – especially one who has experience in the specific type of business your venture addresses – will be able to offer many bits of advice that you would otherwise have to learn the hard way – through your own experience.
Mentoring is a two-way street. By agreeing to mentor a protegé, a mentor gains the satisfaction of making a contribution to someone else's success. However, because the relationship between you and your mentor is defined by the two of you, we cannot suggest or recommend people as mentors, nor candidates to be mentored. We can only emphasize the value of a mentoring relationship and leave the rest up to you.
The following can help you understand the roles of mentors, how to identify one, and what mentoring can do for you.