Do you have what it takes to be an Entrepreneurial Mentor, Coach or SME?

One of the few positive things (that I took for granted) when I worked for the big corporation, was their core value of giving something back to the community.? Whether it was supporting local non-profits, response to natural disasters, or developing the leaders of the future, a good company makes it easy for its employees to engage and give back.? After I left the corporate life and became an Entrepreneur, it quickly became apparent to me that I alone was responsible for establishing this value of giving something back within my own company.

I joined the local Lions Club and I support the local food bank with my time and donations, but that just wasn’t enough.? I truly missed the mentoring side of my professional experience.? Whether it was listening to a colleague with a problem, pro-bono consulting for non-profits, joining my division’s formal corporate mentoring program, or public speaking engagements for groups of students, I couldn’t get enough of it.? One of the greatest feelings that you can have is knowing that you have made a positive difference in someone else’s life.? Furthermore, if anybody can learn from my past experiences and mistakes, then it is a win/win.

I am in the process of launching an Online Community where aspiring Entrepreneurs can be in a safe place to get advice and share info.? It is a safe place for open discussion where there is NO SOLICITING, NO SALES PITCH, and NO PRESSURE. ?(There are plenty of other web sites for that.)? I am looking for mentors and subject matter experts (SMEs).? If you already do coaching and consulting, then great, but you can’t solicit.? I am planning on a reputational system where the mentors gain the trust and esteem of the community, through reviews of their interactions with other members.? Once you have been vetted/approved by the community, then you will have the ability to do business with the other members, as long as the rules are followed.? The short answer is the members must reach out to you for your services, not the other way around.? Your primary goal in this endeavor should always be to give back to other Entrepreneurs and share your opinions and experiences.? If you are reading this and your first thought is “marketing opportunity”, then please don’t join.

When I use the word “mentor” I use it with a very broad meaning.? Yes, a mentor might be the senior person that you work with, who has done the job for years and has lots of interesting stories to tell.? However, if you have a question about the accounting software then someone in the accounting department might be a better mentor or SME.? I have a friend who has never taken any formal training in Artificial Intelligence, but he has read every book, article, blog and website that has come out on the topic over the past several years.? He is by no means an AI professional, but I would ABSOLUTELY call him a subject matter expert.? I know people who never graduated from High School and started a successful, thriving business.? These are some of the best Entrepreneurial Mentors that I know, because they learned their craft through experience, as they were doing it.? I know a person that owns a comic-bookstore, who could tell you every detail you never wanted to know about every bad guy that a certain superhero ever faced.? Is this guy my mentor for me? Probably not.? Are they a mentor for someone who is considering starting an online comic book exchange, yes.

My point is that everyone in the Entrepreneurial Community has some knowledge, information, or experience that they can share.? It can be as simple as “I opened a business and it failed.? Here’s what I learned.”? So, potentially every Entrepreneur is BOTH a mentor and a mentee.? See where I am going with this online community idea?? If you are interested in learning more about being a founding member of my community, then please connect with me, or send me a message via LinkedIn.? If there is enough response, I will also post more information on my profile.? I look forward to hearing from you! ?Thanks!

#Mentor, #Entrepreneur, #GivingBack, #Community, #Business, Startingabusiness