Last weekend I was at an event where Grant Cardone was speaking about mentorship. He gave some great information about how to find a mentor, and I wanted to expound upon it for you!
You Need a Mentor When You…
A mentor is beneficial anytime you start a new task, hobby, job, cycle in your life, etc.
There are many times throughout your life when you will need to find a mentor, but here are a few examples that many of us will go through.
1. Are a Teenager
Like it or not, being a teenager is a HUGE transition. Most likely you have been there and done that, so let’s focus on your kids.
This mentor isn’t you.
Sorry, but as their parent, you will not be the first person they go to for mentorship. That is why athletic coaches, teachers, Boy Scout leaders, family friends, bosses, and other authority figures make excellent mentors.
It is likely that this relationship will be organically formed, but perhaps you can help facilitate by ensuring that the adult leadership in your teenagers’ extracurricular activities are good influences.
I received a lot of mentorship from the people above, as well as small-group leaders at church when I was growing up.
Just ensure your kids have positive role models around!
2. Go to College
If you decide to go to college, you’ll want to find a mentor there too. This could come as an older student, professor, coach, etc.
I would elaborate on this, but I haven’t been a full-time student before. I’m sure you can figure it out!
3. Have a Loss
Taking a loss is not hard. Whether that loss comes in the form of a death, divorce, job, friend, or even a dog, it is not easy.
For that reason, a grief counselor, pastor, or other mentor is beneficial to help you get back to living your life.
The last thing you need is to try and suffer through this loss on your own.
4. Start a Career
If you want to achieve a high level of success in your job, you will need to shadow somebody successful. Get them to take you under their wing and learn their ways.
Alternatively, you could get mentorship through somebody who has achieved success in a different company but a similar industry!
5. Become an Entrepreneur
This is a big one!
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy at all. When you first embark down this road, you may think you have an idea what to expect…but you don’t.
The world of entrepreneurship is full of long hours, complex challenges, and feeling alone. Finding a mentor who is further down the road than you are is a HUGE blessing. You will want that guidance as you come across roadblocks.
It is much easier to ask somebody how they made it through a problem than it is to try and reinvent the wheel and solve world hunger on your own.
6. Start Scaling Your Business
Scaling a business brings all sorts of new challenges!
You will need to build systems, hire employees, delegate tasks, and learn to let go of the reigns on certain tasks. This is a big shift from the days of being a start-up entrepreneur, and you will again need somebody farther down the road to help you scale appropriately.
Don’t try and do this alone. You will definitely want mentors as you scale a business. It is entirely too easy to over-extend or make some other error and collapse completely.
Ways to get Mentorship…
Now you understand some different situations in which a mentor is advantageous. Let’s talk about how to find a mentor and different methods of receiving mentorship.
1. One-on-One Coaching
One-on-one coaching is very expensive. Guys like Bedros Keuilian and Grant Cardone have been known to charge over $50,000 for a single coaching session. Dan Lok recently posted a YouTube video showcasing a sales call in which he charges $5,000 an hour for one-on-one coaching.
The benefit of this high-level coaching is that it is tailored to solving specific problems in your life. You get to ask specific questions, get specific solutions, and get to be in close proximity to very successful people.
The downside is that it is expensive and often involves you traveling to them (on your dollar) in order to attend the coaching session.
2. Employee Relationship
A great way to receive mentorship is to become an employee under the mentor you would like to have. Grant used the example that his Master of Ceremonies at the event had been an employee of his for over five years! In that time, he had received indirect and direct mentorship from Grant on both an employee basis as well as a life/investing basis.
You see, your employers benefit from you being the absolute most successful employee that you can be. For that reason, a wise employer will gladly mentor you in order to help you get a leg up on life.
Working a job to learn a new skill or be close to successful people is a smart way to find a mentor!
3. Interning
An alternative to employment is interning at a job. This is popular with college students and offers a unique way to gain mentorship, but it does not pay at all. The military offers an intern program called SkillBridge for people planning to exit the service, and it is an awesome opportunity!
4. Shadowing People
Shadowing people is one of my favorite ways to get mentorship! You can get super creative with this and find all sorts of ways to get close to people…if you’re smart and focus on adding value!
No, I don’t mean for you to be creepy and follow people around.
I mean find people who are successful in the area you want to improve and then find a way to get close to them.
A good example of this is that my friend, Cory Nemoto, is a very successful house-flipper on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. I was able to find a home that made sense as a fix-and-flip and let him buy it so that I could help and be close to the project.
The ability to follow him and his team through the entire project, and help design the renovation, ensured that I learned a ton!. I even got a small payout as a token of their appreciation, although I would have done this for absolutely free.
The point is that if you can find a way to add value to those you want to be around, that will help build a relationship. Building relationships is far more beneficial in the long run than just a short mentorship lunch.
People overlook this great way to be around mentors because it often involves working for free or donating your time to help them out.
To me, working for free is ABSOLUTELY better than paying a lot of money for mentorship in most cases.
5. Zoom Video Calls
Technology has brought the entire world closer together. With the touch of a button, you can be “face-to-face” with somebody across the world. I should know…I do this all the time!
These Zoom video calls afford the opportunity for large-group mentorship, which can look like a lecture, coaching, guided discussions, Q&A sessions, or whatever else your heart desires.
6. Mastermind Groups 
A mastermind group is where multiple people come together with common goals. They meet regularly (mine meets weekly) and discuss accomplishments, struggles, goals, most important next steps, and life in order to hold each other accountable to achieving these things.
I absolutely LOVE mastermind groups. I’m actually in three or four of them, and they have helped me improve my business and the quality of my life exponentially!
That is why Stuart Grazier and I started the War Room RE Mastermind group for service members. This group is 100% service members and veterans who are looking to reach their investment goals, become better entrepreneurs, and improve their quality of life.
Apply today, and we will send you an information packet on this affordable method of mentorship!
You can also receive mentorship through a course like this one!
The Perfect Mentor…
The most important thing about understanding how to find a mentor is knowing how to choose the right mentor. Getting “mentorship” from somebody who can’t help you is not going to be beneficial, no matter how you get mentored or how much it costs.
Be sure to conduct due diligence on the mentor you are interested in working with.
1. Has Experience in Your Niche
It doesn’t make sense to get mentored by someone who isn’t familiar with your specific niche. That would be like asking a professional bowler for advice on becoming a better baseball pitcher. Sure, they are a professional athlete but not in the niche you need coaching.
Get specific, and find somebody who has already done what you are trying to achieve.
2. Is Current and Relevant
An outdated mentor may have had success in your niche, but if they don’t understand modern ways of conducting business it will hold you back. Your mentor should understand social media, podcasting, online coaching courses, etc.
They need to be able to help you navigate through CURRENTLY successful strategies in order to ensure you are successful. If your mentor doesn’t understand modern marketing, that could limit your success.
Ensure your mentor is current and relevant.
3. They Must Be Successful Currently
Being successful twenty years ago is cool, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you are able to be successful today.
This goes back to the point above: ensure they are current and relevant!
4. Can Provide You With Quick Victories
You don’t want to pay for mentorship unless you are going to get results. A mentor must be able to give you a fast return on your investment and quick wins. You don’t want to be attending meeting after meeting without results.
Find a coach who you know will deliver results and actionable advice you can take.
5. Offers Daily Support
This is a huge bonus!
I hired a blogging coach for a few weeks to help me get some things on track, and one of the benefits she offered was daily email access. Being able to ask her questions about anything and everything I run into roadblocks on was a huge way to improve my experience with her program and, more importantly, my results.
You want to have access to them, or their team, regularly and consistently.
6. Gives You Live Access
You want access to your mentor, not just his or her team. Don’t pay for mentorship unless you will be getting live access to them. That personal coaching aspect is a HUGE benefit for everybody involved.
7. Can Help You Upgrade Your Network
The odds are that your network could use an upgrade. This upgrade could come in the faces of new friends, colleagues, or people in your niche.
You want a mentor who is well connected. Networking is an incredible way to get closer to achieving your goals. Don’t let your network hold you back—expand and improve your network as much as possible.
That is why you want to find a mentor who can connect you to the big players in your niche and help foster those great relationships. A mentor who can help connect you and improve your network is a great mentor to have!
Here are some ways to boost your network with virtual meetups!
8. Gives You Assignments and Accountability
You may not want this, but you need it. A mentor who doesn’t challenge you is a waste of time. Receiving assignments and being held accountable to finish them is a great way to improve your results.
These don’t have to be homework assignments like quizzes and essays, but rather they should be actionable steps you can take to achieve your goals.
You want a mentor who will give you assignments that will move the needle in your business and then hold your feet to the fire in order to ensure you complete them.
You don’t want a mentor who isn’t going to challenge you or make sure you succeed!
Categories You can Receive Mentoring In…
These are some of the categories in which people often seek mentorship. I don’t think there is a need to explain what each of these is, but make sure your potential mentor specializes in what you need.
Don’t hire a physical trainer to help you scale your business, and don’t expect your business coach to be able to help you spiritually.
1. Finance
2. Business
3. Relationships
4. Spiritual
5. Physical
Important Distinctions
Notice that I did not say anything about blindly messaging a million people asking them to be your mentor. There are only a few ways that I know of in which mentorship comes to pass.
- You pay for mentorship, coaching, masterminds, etc.
- You focus on adding value and building relationships, and mentorship is a natural byproduct.
- Somebody sees potential in you or already has a relationship with you and takes you under their wing (this is rare).
How To Find a Mentor
The easiest option, and often the most effective, is to “pay to play” by joining your desired mentor’s program(s). Focusing on adding value and relationship building should be a focus of yours 24/7, but it doesn’t always pan out as well as you’d like.
When you pay to play, you will be getting more focused time and tailored results. You will get their undivided attention, and it will be their goal to help you.
I’m not saying people aren’t willing to help mentor you out of the kindness of their hearts, but if they are successful, they are busy. That means their time is EXTREMELY valuable to them, and in order to carve out time in their schedule, you need to be willing to pay for it or provide immense value.
Now that you understand how to find a mentor, it is important that you do not run around saying, “I’m a newbie, will you be my mentor?” Invest in yourself and become a person worth mentoring. Don’t go crazy about finding a mentor until you have laid a foundation for yourself!
If you want information on our military investor mastermind group, shoot me an email at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing about your successes this year!
