What do you do if you're a real estate entrepreneur seeking guidance from mentors?

The best mentoring is innovation-oriented. This kind of work is mainly related to an academic-professional exchange. If well oriented, an year programme of mentoring can really transform an entreprise. We have promoted some successful experiences in group mentoring, which helps troughout networking and exchange, associated to strategic redesign of entrepreneurship, oriented for SME.

Firstly we need to understand our needs, after that look for mentors who will add knowledge to our company, people who have experience, qualifications, case studies that will add knowledge to us!

Seeking individuals who have a track record of success in real estate development. Look for those who demonstrate ethical business practices and have a willingness to share their knowledge. Remember, a good mentor doesn't need to have a high profile; what's important is their ability to guide you through the complexities of the industry with wisdom and experience.

I highly recommend mentoring. Especially when in leadership positions, when we can often feel isolated. Mentoring can be provided by seniors who are or have been part of the real estate industry, or very interestingly, by people with experience in other industries. While the former are useful for discussing and analyzing typical market issues, the latter are useful for gaining insight into another industry and can help a lot in innovation processes.

Em minha jornada a mentoria representou camada importante para solidificar meus objetivos e torná-los passíveis de realiza??o. Ter em sua agenda um espa?o intencional para networking, seja em encontros individuais ou através de fóruns do setor pode te auxiliar a identificar pessoas que te inspiram ou sejam referência e estabelecer conex?es genuínas com elas. Além disso, sua necessidade pode mudar conforme o desenvolvimento de sua carreira. Você pode em algum momento identificar necessidade de mentoria na área de desenvolvimento humano e, em outro, mentoria de referencias no setor para compartilhamento de experiências. Esta "reuni?o interna" para identificar a sua necessidade atual te auxiliará a definir as prioridades de conex?o..

Be clear about what you want to achieve in your real estate career. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Share these goals with your mentor, and let them help you refine and reach them. This step is about setting a direction for your growth.

It is important to understand your goals with mentoring. First, I would classify by time: short, medium and long term. Then by subject: everyday life and innovation. In everyday life, I would pay attention to the market, product, processes and organization. In innovation, I would look at what the competition has done and what you can do, how to lead.

Set goals initially and link the goals with time. E.g Short-term, Long-term etc and then devise plans and strategies to achieve the same.

Before reaching out, be clear on what you wish to gain from these relationships. Are you looking for investment strategies, market insights, or growth tactics? Knowing this will keep your interactions focused and meaningful—like a GPS for your career path

Reaching out to mentors can feel daunting. But in today's digital age, personalized communication is key. So, I would look to see if they are active on social media, and if they were, I would carefully craft a DM. I would talk to them about specific projects or achievements. And I would express genuine admiration for their expertise and eagerness to learn the craft. I would also emphasize my willingness to contribute, framing it as a mutual exchange. Only after initial contact would I ask if these potential mentors would have time for a phone call, coffee, or lunch date. Only once we can meet face to face or jump on a call would I start to focus on building an authentic relationship and working on fostering the relationship.

I believe finding a mentor is the most important and delicate part. The choice must be careful. It must be someone of the highest confidence, capable of keeping secrets, with knowledge of the market, who will not be in a situation of conflict of interest in the present or in the future and who will build a mutually beneficial relationship with empathy. It must be a professional relationship, but it carries high doses of emotional closeness and friendship.

I would always start the search of a mentor by reaching out to my network of trusted professionals who have worked with them before. One of the biggest elements(if not the biggest in some cases) in business is people so what is better than a recommendation to someone that you know, like and trust. By doing this you will get a warm introduction which helps with the initial ice breaker conversation but also you know a trusted connections has worked/recommend them.

Craft a personalized connection request that references specific achievements or interests of the mentor. Avoid generic messages—they’re the professional equivalent of "Hey, what’s up?" not likely to get a response.

Just like sales, it's a numbers game. It may feel awkward at first, but in reality, people do not mind helping younger peers get started. Some might not respond, others will.

This is key. Not solely reaching out to people, but finding ways to nurture the relationship. Moreover, bringing value to the relationship. A mentorship should have a symbiotic component even if it is overwhelmingly unidirectional. However, it cannot only be a take without any give.

As mentioned before, a great relationship is crucial for good mentoring to bring good results. We can never forget that relationships are not born ready-made, they are a construction process for both parties.

Building relationships and network is extremely important in business, irrespective of the type and industry of business. It is the relationships which helps with customers, client, vendors, competitors everything. It is also said "If you are not networking, you are not working". Therefore, the same needs to given a proper shot.

Ultimately good people work with good people so there needs to be the mutual respect from both sides. The key with a mentor is to ensure they are a lot further ahead in terms of experience/achievements and where they have delivered successful projects that are bigger than those that you are currently working on. The mentee needs to communicate openly and transparently but ultimately needs to take action , as this is when you learn from mistakes made. However by having the mentor this should assist in reducing risks/mistakes and they are there to advise/guide you in the right direction.

Once connected, nurture the relationship with thoughtful interactions. Share relevant articles, ask insightful questions, and maybe even suggest a virtual coffee chat. Show genuine interest; don’t make it all about what you can take away from them.

Take the insights and lessons from your mentor and put them into action. Real estate is a field where practical experience counts as much as theoretical knowledge. Trial and error is a part of the learning process, but with a mentor's advice, you can avoid common pitfalls and accelerate your progress.

Good mentoring is already important because it provides reflection, as in an analysis process. It helps to separate reality from the illusions and beliefs we build in our mind. If that were the case, that would be enough. But certainly applying what we learned in this process is mandatory.

You need to learn the knowledge from you mentor but ultimately it is always about taking action. There will always be bumps along the road but with an experienced mentor, who has achieved success from delivering larger projects, should provide you with the necessary comfort and guidance to minimise risks/mistakes

Put the advice and insights you gain into practice. This not only leads to professional growth but also shows your mentors their investment in time is paying off. Think of it as doing your homework.

The real estate market is constantly changing, and so should your strategies. Regularly reflect on your experiences and the outcomes of your decisions. Discuss these reflections with your mentor to gain deeper insights and adapt your approach accordingly. This is not about second-guessing but about evolving through continuous learning.

Ultimately there is a considerable number of metrics to consider. Most would ask has the profit metric been achieved and if so move on, but there is so much more to consider. Many SME Real estate developments achieve good profits off the back of a rising market so it is important that the whole project is analysed at every stage at granular level. By doing so will more likely ensure that your projects in a challenging market achieve profit whilst in good markets achieve "super" profits

Regularly reflect on the guidance you’ve received and adapt your strategies as needed. It's like tuning your instruments—ensures you stay in harmony with your business goals.

Recently I mentored a new developer who was recommended to speak to me. Find a mentor through your network and consider: - your direct experience or ability to partner with experienced developers initially (too risky without this, and you won't raise debt either) - equity capital (use this to drive the size and type of scheme you can do) - market research (assess demand, sold prices, ability to refinance if sales are slower than expected) - land availability (developers, land agents, investors are chasing the same things - identify how to stand out to the seller - stay within a tight geographical location) - identify the best contractors by speaking to others who have used them, use this to build your own network who will help you deliver

It is never too late to start. People get self-conscious about their age, success or lack thereof, social status, or other things why they may not "conform." I wish I got this advice early. It is part of the learning process.

Ask colleagues and friends about their experience with mentors, what they found useful and what to ask when searching for a good match. There are organisations such as Agents Together who offer free mentoring and are great at matching mentees with mentors.

Don't limit your learning to your mentors alone. Engage with peer groups, attend industry webinars, and participate in relevant LinkedIn groups to broaden your perspective and network.

Mentors are like pioneers and way ahead in terms of experience as well as expertise. Seeking guidance from someone who is well ahead in the curve is the best can be done. Mentors can save you a lot of time you would have otherwise spent on learning things which they could teach and guide you with a very short span of time.