april 2015 BCBusiness 21 saBrina sMElko
Been There, Done That
D - I - y M a n a g e m e n t
advice and support from someone who knows the ropes can be invaluable for entrepreneurs at any stage in
their business. aisha tejani, coordinator of MentorshipBC, a resource organization for small business owners,
offers guidance on managing the mentor relationship by Felicity Stone
ClARify ExPECtAtiOnS
Set expectations in the
beginning of your mentoring
relationship so you both
understand your roles, says
Tejani. Discuss what you both
expect from the relationship,
the duration and frequency of
meetings, how you will com-
municate between meetings
(email, text or phone) and how
you will hold yourself account-
able to your mentor.
it'S nOt All AbOut yOu
Mentorship is a two-way relationship.
Mentors gain fulfilment from seeing their
mentees succeed, notes Tejani. Find
specific ways in which your mentor helps
your business and send your mentor a
thank you note. You can also help your
mentor by introducing him or her to
beneficial business contacts or by offer-
ing your advice in areas of expertise that
your mentor may be missing.
•
COMMuniCAtiOn iS kEy
Lack of communication is a top reason
that mentoring relationships fail, says
Tejani. Aim to meet with your mentor
once a week or at least monthly. Before
each meeting, write an agenda to define
your goals and questions; afterward,
send a recap email to your mentor out-
lining the advice you received and steps
you will take to complete your goals. Set
quarterly meetings to discuss what is
working well and what can be improved.
lOOk in All tHE RigHt PlACES
You can find a mentor informally—a
teacher, family friend, manager or busi-
ness contact—but there are also more than
50 formal mentorship programs for small
business owners in B.C. "The key is to
connect with a person who will find it a
beneficial experience to support you," says
Tejani. Some mentorship programs are
free while others charge a fee. Programs
listed with MentorshipBC involve one-on-
one mentor matching for a defined period.
WHAt AbOut yOuR nEEdS?
"I would tell the person to write down
all their criteria and then find a program
based on that," says Tejani. For example,
you can choose a program specifically
for women or specifically for your indus-
try, one based on how much you want
to pay, or whether you want a loan and
mentorship or just mentorship.
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