Need a Business Mentor?

It's no secret that mentors can come in handy, especially when opening or expanding a business for the first time. Whether it's accounting advice, help in determining the type of business entity, or even deciding whether you should start a business at all, a mentor will guide you from confusion to excellence, usually without pay. But how do you find a potential mentor, and how do you determine they are as useful as they claim to be? Use this guide to assist you in your search.

Small Business Administration
The SBA is mostly useful for getting a loan - either from government or for finding advice to apply with a bank. As such, most advice you get from a worker in the SBA will be financial in nature. Use the SBA for advice about loan rates, repayment options, who to pick as a lender or guarantor, and similar questions. Don't expect much else.

Small Business Development Center
In most colleges, especially small community ones, you will find a conference room which is generally empty. This is a conference room freely or cheaply available to people running small businesses signed up with the SBDC in your area.

The SBDC is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping out new small business owners. They provide conference rooms and other facilities to host business meetings with clients, if you have no place else to do so. They also have a few mentors who will help with recommendations and networking.

SCORE
SCORE is a non-profit branch of the SBA which has an army of volunteer retired executives who can provide businesses help with literally anything. They have a huge selection of people to help, and often network amongst themselves, so even if your mentor doesn't know something, they do know who to ask to be sure.

If you have the opportunity, I absolutely advise you to seek out help through SCORE. They have been the most dedicated and genuinely helpful people throughout my trip into business ownership.

Your Bank
Which bank did you use when you opened up your business checking account? How about your loan? Go back to them, and ask to see a financial adviser. Most banks offer customers access to an adviser for investments, but they generally know their way around plenty of everything. If not, they usually also have contacts to which you may be referred if you ask nicely.

Now that you've found a mentor, how do you determine who will be the most useful? The basic answer is that you can never know for sure. The main thing to figure out when you first meet with a mentor is personality. If the mentor clashes with you horribly, they should probably not be guiding you. If you find yourself radiating toward the person, however, that could be a sign this will be a very beneficial relationship.

You must also realize that if a mentor does not want to work with you, he or she does not have to. They can end the relationship just as you can. If you are uncomfortable or dislike advice, express your concerns and explain yourself tactfully and you will avoid ruining your relationship with the entire organization.

Choose your mentor based on the following qualities: friendliness, know-how, contacts and networking ability, ease of explaining, experience, area of expertise, and politeness. You want a mentor who appeals to others, as well, so that he or she may help you meet other people who may be able to help.

Choosing from a long list of mentors may be difficult, but with a little time and energy, you are certain to find somebody who is the right fit for you, your business endeavors, and your needs. Always be sure to treat everybody with kindness and respect and good things will come. Fail to remain polite, however, and your reputation may be hurt forever.