Want a Great Mentor? Drop the Highlight Reel and Get Real
Think back to when you were a kid, standing in front of your half-built tree fort, looking at your friends. You had an idea—maybe it was a new way to reinforce the walls, maybe it was a secret escape route—but before anyone else could buy in, you had to put it out there first.
That’s how good or even great mentorship works.?
A lot of new entrepreneurs think mentorship is some kind of one-time event. You show up, ask a few questions, get some golden wisdom, and boom—you’re set. But that’s not mentorship. That’s a Q&A session.
Real mentorship? It’s a relationship. And like any great relationship, it’s built on a lot of trust.
The key to building trust? You have to go first!
Here’s the thing: as the mentee, you are the one who needs something. That means you have to make the first move. You have to be open, be real, and share what’s actually keeping you up at night.
Because let’s be honest—most entrepreneurs walk around with a highlight reel. They tell people about the wins, the big client they just landed, the new product they’re launching. But mentorship isn’t about putting on a show. It’s about showing up as you really are—uncertainties, doubts, fear, and all.
The best mentors? They don’t just want to hand out generic advice. They want to help you solve your specific problems. But they can only do that if you’re willing to be vulnerable.
It’s not just about knowledge transfer—it’s about trust development. And trust isn’t built by asking safe, surface-level questions. It’s built by saying:
"I don’t know what to do here." "I feel stuck." "This thing I thought would work… isn’t working."
When you open up, two things happen:
And when that happens? That’s when real mentorship starts.
So, if you’re looking for a mentor, remember: it’s not about finding someone who will magically fix everything for you. It’s about building a relationship—one where you go first, because trust starts with you.
Just like in that tree fort—you have to speak up first if you want people to build with you.
CEO @ Amplify | Community, Ecosystem & Network Catalyst | Collaborator | Change Agent | Incurably Curious | Relentlessly Resourceful
2 周Great mentors don’t just give advice—they roll up their sleeves and get real with you. They don’t just celebrate your wins; they help you dissect your losses. We’re all better because of those who take the time to invest in us—helping us grow (or at least become a slightly less worse version of ourselves). I’ve seen firsthand how the best mentors show up—not as gurus, but as guides. They ask the hard questions, share the tough lessons, and push you past your comfort zone. They’re not always going to be your friend. If you want to grow, stop curating the highlight reel. Get real. Get uncomfortable. That’s where the best mentorship happens. #ClearIsKind