Mentorship is your shortcut to success. Not only will mentors give you the tools and knowledge you need to start building your wealth, but they’ll serve as invaluable assets to be right there with you along the way.
If you’re seeking an entrepreneurial mentor but don’t know where to begin, you don’t need to be in the same room to find them—endless opportunities are available to connect with a mentor online. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Social Media and Professional Networking
Social media platforms can serve as a bridge between you and potential mentors. The social media algorithms are providing us a service as entrepreneurs by connecting us with like-minded people, just by the content we interact with.
You probably follow some of your favorite entrepreneurs, business owners, and industry players across social media platforms. Use the community these pages have already fostered to find mentors by looking through the comments and likes of other people who interact with their content. With a little digging, you can find people who work in your field and reach out to them for potential guidance and mentorship.
Professional networking platforms like LinkedIn and Meetup already do the digging for you to connect you with people in your network. Twitter and Facebook also launched professional profile features, making it easier to make new connections or rekindle conversations with old contacts.
Is there anyone that you can lean on with the experience of being rejected countless times and knowing the ins and outs of all the possible responses? Reach out to them on social media. Even if you’re miles away and in a new workplace or new stage in your life, these past connections could be potential mentors or direct you to other mentors to connect with.
Social media makes it easier than ever to keep in contact with acquaintances who can open networking and mentorship doors for you. Don’t let excuses get in the way of sending a message to start creating these mentorships.
Virtual Education Opportunities
Webinars, virtual masterminds, boot camps, and online courses are some of the best ways to make solid ties with experienced mentors. They’ve already put in the time to know what works and what doesn’t, and they’re looking to pass on the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired to others.
Not only will these educational opportunities connect you with mentors, but it will place you in a network of other highly-driven professionals like yourself. These network connections are another avenue to find mentorship and a sense of community on your journey to grow your business or portfolio. Your presence in these educational spaces already shows potential mentors that you have the drive and curiosity to seek out knowledge and guidance.
Similarly, some virtual education platforms offer specific mentorship programs to pair students with experienced professionals. This provides a structured path to connect with a mentor and receive support in your field without needing to go out of your way to establish that mentorship connection. Examples of this include Udemy, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning, or online courses and boot camps offered by industry leaders you follow on social media.
Industry Meetups
Stay plugged into your local colleges, universities, and business groups on social media to sign up for event newsletters. Workshops and local industry meetups are often held at nearby campuses or workspaces that are full of other people like you who are ready to take their business to the next level.
While in-person meetups can be incredibly effective for networking and finding mentors, you can find virtual industry meetups that broaden the scope of mentors you have access to across the world. These virtual industry events can also be found on social media, Eventbrite, professional and trade association websites, and small business development centers.
Online Communities and Forums
Participating in online forums or social media groups related to your field of interest can open the door to endless mentorship opportunities. Joining in conversations and regularly engaging with posts will help establish you as an active member of that community, and bring you more exposure in finding potential mentors.
As an entrepreneur, having access to mentorship is critical to the goals you want to achieve. These leaders already have the knowledge, mindset, and strategy to succeed in their field. With the rise of social media and virtual education platforms, there are now more opportunities than ever to connect with experienced professionals.
These mentorship programs provide a structured way to gain both insight and guidance on your journey to success. Whether you’re looking to start your own company, grow an existing business, or build a portfolio, participating in a mentorship program can help you gain a competitive edge. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from someone who has achieved what you want and gain invaluable guidance on the right steps to succeed.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock