How’s your day going?

Seriously… I really want to know. How are you? What are you doing?

• What’s the one thing you’ll work on today that you’ll love doing?
• What’s that one thing you’re putting off?

Right now, I’m writing this post, which is a hell of a lot of fun.

And I get to support my friend Melanie Kissell who is participating in a guest post blog contest! This link will take you to her awesome post, 5 Tantalizing Ways To Expose Yourself On Social Media. Check it out. It’s really, really good!

You can help her win by sharing the post with your social media friends and by leaving a comment under her post.

Then…

there’s that one thing I’m not looking forward to… and it has to get done today. Actually it should have been done yesterday, but I thought yesterday was Monday. I kind of screwed that up. I even missed a call I was supposed to be on. And my friend has not emailed me back to tell me she forgives me (*yet*).

I have a pile of mail that’s a mile high. That’s the not fun part of my day today:( It’s what I get for letting it pile up. Actually that’s how I always do it… works better than dropping everything every time the letter carrier delivers the mail. And of course, I’ve been on vacation… yuck, it’s not always fun to come back to the office is it?

But it’s still a pile of mail that’s threatening to topple over on my desk and bury me avalanche style.

So how do you take a not so perfect day and make it great? You look for something perfect or flawless in everything you do. In everyone you talk to.

For example, I know that in my pile of mail there are at least two SOC cards. How do I know? Well it’s that telltale blue ink on the envelope. And while they are automatically generated, someone did take the time to put me in their database. That’s sort of nice.

It certainly adds a smile or two to a pile of invoices and marketing letters. And junk.

And that makes the pile perfect.

Supporting my friend Melanie is the icing on the cake. You’ll love her post, why not go take a look, tweet, share and comment? Thank you.

Hey, and leave a comment telling us about your day! How do you see something perfect in everything around you?

No related posts.

a.k.a.

referral systems

revenue sharing

cross industry marketing

joint venturingIt’s basically I’ll reward your business for each customer you bring me as a result of your marketing efforts.

Or,

• You help me penetrate a new market.
• I help you do an add-on business (to what you already do).
• You piggyback on my sales efforts, my established goodwill and my existing relationships.

Whatever you call it, however you look at it… you should be asking yourself, “Why am I not doing this right now????” (And if you are? You are one smart cookie!)

Ready for a great story about affiliate marketing? Visit my friend Eugene’s site and read his post, Cupcake Marketing: Affiliate Marketing Beyond the Internet.

Take a look.

Leave a comment:)

Think.

Let’s make friends in business. When I love and trust you… and you recommend someone to me, I realize exactly how much time you just saved me. I’m thrilled if you get a referral fee!

Your turn. What amazing affiliate relationships have you been involved with? Care to share?

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This is the final installment of my vacation posts. I’ll catch up with you later this week:) Thanks for all of the great comments!

Related posts:

1. How to Give a Great Sales Pitch!
2. Neverware: A Great Story of a Young Entrepreneur

What does transparently competitive behavior cost you?

Here’s what I mean by this.

A person is transparently competitive when they:

• Visit someone’s home to attend a network marketing event and they promote their own networking business to the participants.
• Visit another person’s business (brick and mortar, or online) and they promote their own product or service… without shame.
• Disagree with the other guy in an attempt to demonstrate their own superiority.

And while their intentions may be noble (in their mind), their actions say otherwise. I mean, they may have no real malicious intent to do someone harm, yet actions like these demonstrate a grievous lack of good judgment.

I’m an advocate for:

• Being gracious for an invitation to participate.
• Recognizing the best in people by pointing out a job well done.
• Showing pride in your friends, contemporaries, colleagues, team members and yes, even your ‘competition’.
• Offering kindness and respect.
• Extending compliments.
• Showing gratitude for another person’s contribution to the world… whether that person be a friend, an acquaintance, or a total stranger.
• Promoting your competition.
• Giving thanks for knowledge shared.
• Being a perfect guest.

Anything less can be costly. To your reputation. To your image. And to your bottom line.

All of this is just plain good sense… or is it? I’m sometimes appalled by the behavior of others, especially so in the online world (and by extension email, texting, comments, etc.).

Perhaps it’s a wonderful idea to take a step back and do an honest introspection on how we are being. What are we trying to create?

Your turn. What would you add to my list of how to demonstrate excellence in business? And in life, for that matter?

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Wondering how this way of thinking can explode your business? Let’s talk.

Related posts:

1. On Being Elegant

Years ago my husband practically begged me to close my successful headhunting business. Successful in the sense that I was making money. But I just couldn’t stop bringing work home with me. I lived it. I breathed it. The ups. The downs. Sales can be like that. You live or die based on the decisions of others and sometimes it’s completely out of your hands.

And in the case of executive recruiting I had two sides making decisions — the employer and the prospective employee. Recruiting was an incredibly tough business.

Back to school.

Ultimately I listened to my husband and decided to change careers. Now what? Here was an opportunity to start fresh. So, I thought long and hard about what I had done in the past. What was I really passionate about? Because I was always good at art in high school and in college, and I truly loved it, I decided to attend art school.

On the first day of school, the instructors gathered all of the new students in a large hall. We were promptly told that although we might have been in the top of our classes at our old schools, we would be lucky to receive a “C” average upon graduating their school.

Although I hadn’t been in school for 10 years, I was determined to leave with an “A” average. And I did. With honors. But in order to accomplish this, I was usually at my drafting table until 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. Art school practically killed me. Or so it felt at the time.

When I graduated it was only to discover I could not get a job and I was woefully unprepared to strike out on my own. Most studios had just moved to electronic design and I had no formal computer graphics training — even though I’d just paid a fortune (in student loans) to attend a top art school. Computers came on the scene practically overnight.

So it was back to school… again.

And more grueling hours. And more debt. With another round of job interviews on the horizon. I had not had a W2 job for years and I wasn’t looking forward to the prospect. At all.

One of the reasons I worked so hard in school was so that I could strike out on my own and start my own design business. I also discovered it was easier said than done.

Fortunately, before I took the plunge and started my own business, one of my computer graphics instructors, who loved my design work, talked her partner into bringing me into their business… as a full partner.

Those hours and hours of study and work paid off.

But here’s the interesting thing.

Until then, it hadn’t occurred to me that I might partner with other designers.

I was looking at it as if I would have to hit the pavement looking for a job (or clients) when I graduated. I really didn’t want to get hired by a design studio where I had to start at the bottom and work my way up. And this would have been my first real W2 job in a decade.

Some would say I was in the right place at the right time. And I would agree. In part.

But just think for a minute.

My instructor realized that partnering would make her business stronger.  She had the idea that teaming up with other talent would make for a better design studio.

This was a learning experience I never forgot. Since that time I’ve built numerous successful businesses based on the concept of partnership.

So here’s my question for you. Who can you partner with today? Have you considered bringing your skills and talents to a collaborative partnership?

Related posts:

1. 8 Ways to Avoid Business Burnout or How to Get Unstuck

I love discovering new bloggers. But the time it takes to discover the really good ones can be daunting. Fortunately, three of my favorite bloggers have got this handled!

Ready for a special bonus smack dab in the middle of the week?

Head on over to Reality Burst and check out Eugene Farber’s Bursting with Bloggers Series.

This is an awesome twist on “Meet my favorite bloggers”. Eugene took the time to interview 42 bloggers and internet personalities whose influence span from business to self improvement to travel. Over this six part series he asked some killer questions and received some amazing responses. You might want to consider answering these questions yourself!

Note: This series is at the mid-way point. You can catch up on the previous questions and join me in anticipating the rest. And although I participated, I have NO idea how everyone else answered the questions.

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Melanie Kissell, the awesome creator of Solo Mompreneur, is losing sleep keeping up with her favorite bloggers. Check out her post Blogging Causes Insomnia. I’m truly honored to be included. Sometimes it’s good to be a culprit!

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Marcus Sheridan over at The Sales Lion is talking about bloggers who inspire through powerful words and kind deeds. Hop on over and read 15 Inspired Bloggers Who are Changing the Blogosphere as We Know It.

And don’t miss the micro mentions near the end of his post. All in all, Marcus introduces us to around 30 bloggers. Awesome!

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Thank you Marcus, Melanie and Eugene for generously sharing your favorite bloggers. Melanie, you probably won’t sleep for a month!

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have. And when you visit these 3 sites, drop my friends a comment and tell them how much you appreciate their efforts!

These guys rock!

Related posts:

1. One of My Favorite Bloggers of 2010
2. Bloggers – Why Are You Doing What You Do?

I’ve been known to say, “There is no such thing as competition.”

Say, what?

Let me also say there are tons of people who have adamantly disagreed with this statement. You may be one of them. I say it so others will stop and think about their mindset.

Consider this. You may possess a highly competitive mindset — to the exclusion of other possibilities. Hmmm.

I’d much rather promote the philosophy that everyone is a potential joint partner. And that to collaborate is divine. Here’s a short post I wrote a while back on the The Art of Competition. Reading it might put you in the right mindset.

I love to support people who are in action. I love to share the spotlight. Should I worry about sending my visitors to another blogger’s site? Especially one who writes on the same topics as I do? Someone who has similar products and courses? Or is a fellow coach?

I don’t think so.

As I meet more and more fabulous people through my blog and through social media, I am constantly amazed at what’s going on out there in the business world. My friends are starting new businesses and launching products left and right. They have businesses that simply rock!

You know who you are.

So, in honor of all of you extraordinary entrepreneurs, today’s comments are wide open. You can ask questions, you can brag, you can even engage in some shameless self promotion or networking.

Here are some ideas for getting in the conversation:

• Is your business so awesome you’re just dying to tell us about? Go for it.
• Are you launching a product or service? Would you like to test the market? You’ve got a great focus group right here.
• Do you have a business question? Ask away.
• Do you have a little challenge you just can’t get your head around? Let’s talk.
• Are you looking for a partner or a mentor? Well… 95% of the people who will help you…  you don’t know yet!

Ready… set… go! You can leave as many comments as you like. There is only one rule. If you totally spam us (that would look something like, “Nice post, here’s a link.”) – I’ll moderate.

Related posts:

1. How to promote your blog, website, product or service
2. Shameless Self Promotion: Here’s Your Opportunity

In a former life I had a headhunting business (aka corporate recruiting). During those years I learned some great marketing strategies. I also learned a lot about human nature. Things like, How to ferret out what someone doesn’t want you to know. (A little tip I picked up from Mom and refined by interviewing thousands of employers and job candidates.)

One of the best marketing strategies I learned was to start at the top. Of any organization. Big or small. You want to deal with the CEO, Founder or President.

Here’s why.

Chances are they will refer you down the chain. That’s a good thing. Then you get to say, “So and so (CEO, President, etc.) suggested I talk to you.” This gets the attention of middle management every time. It’s exactly the same as having a very warm lead.

It’s been my experience (and I’ve done this literally hundreds of times–no kidding) the people at the top are more accessible than you would ever imagine. They are not protecting their position with the company like a middle management guy would. They got to the top by being professional. They understand networking.

There’s a common belief that the ‘guy’ at the top got there by being ruthless and well, a regular S.O.B..

Not so. If you own a company you KNOW this isn’t true. You got there by hard work and by being accessible to people. You completely understand the importance of being a team player. Frankly, there really aren’t that many jerks who rise to the top.

Sure, there’s usually a ‘gate guard’. That would be the admin’s or lower level executives. Hard to get through? Not necessarily. Try using a perfectly honest approach.

When I was marketing to companies as a headhunter I was looking for clients. I was actually selling my services. Even so, business owners and top execs were still very willing to speak with me. Sometimes I was just looking for advice. Or an answer to a simple question like, “Do you guys hire your top level executives through corporate recruiters?”

See what I mean? Perfectly straight forward. No subterfuge. (That’s when you get yourself in trouble.)

On the occasions I simply could not get past the office door (figuratively speaking), I explained why I was calling and asked who the appropriate contact person would be. That’s okay too. You still have a warm introduction. When you call that individual you’ll say, “The CEO’s admin assistant (insert name) suggested I call you directly.” Works like a charm.

The only time this doesn’t work is when being told ‘No’ hurts your tender sensibilities. But then, you wouldn’t be in business for yourself if that were the case, would you? ‘No’ won’t kill you.

You’ll also make some awesome connections.

Why start at the bottom?

Do you have a product or service you’d like to get in front of some influential people? Try this. Do you want to run an idea by someone who might have some great answers? Start at the top.

Can you think of something right now where this strategy might help? What is it? Are you willing to give it a shot? When? There’s no time like the present.

Related posts:

1. How to Give a Great Sales Pitch!
2. Start With Why

A girlfriend once told me “sometimes she felt she didn’t know anything everyone else didn’t already know.” At the time, it struck me as an extraordinary thing to say. It still does. I even started my about page with her comment.

My friend was wondering if she had anything new to say — or to teach. It’s kind of a heartbreaking comment when you think about it. Wow. Is this the result of the information age?

Or, was she just hanging out with the wrong crowd at the time?

This is a good thing for all of us to ask ourselves.

Maybe it’s time to start talking to some new people. People who ask, “What if?” People who know it’s not possible for everything to be known and new ideas are just waiting to be discovered.

One idea truly can be life changing.

Believing that there is so much more to know and learn can be empowering. We’ve got to hang out with people who get this. Think about the people you know who are really busy and involved with life. Who continue to learn and explore new things.

Maybe you should ask them out to lunch.

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Here’s another idea. You can talk to me — I’m totally game for a short phone call. Check out my coaching page for more info.

(Comments welcome.)

Related posts:

1. Why Are You Talking So Bad To Yourself?

Hey there friend. Let’s say I just stopped by your office or home right now and said, “So, what’s up?”… what would your answer be?

Maybe I should have knocked first, lol! What are you up to? What are you doing?

I’d love to know more about you. So, today’s comments are open. You can ask questions, you can brag, you can even engage in some shameless self promotion. Well… within limits that is. I mean, don’t spam us with links to ten websites or try to sell us the Brooklyn Bridge. Oh, and no sniveling or whining allowed.

This is your opportunity to do some brainstorming, some marketing, and some connecting. And if you hesitate… what wonderful opportunities have you lost by not taking action? Is this your declaration that, yes, you are definitely a lone ranger? Or are you ready embrace working with a team?

What are you working on right now? Is this what you want to be doing? Would you like some support? Do you have a little challenge you just can’t get your head around?

Are you doing something so great you’re dying to tell the world about it?

Take. This. Opportunity.

Ready… set… go! You can leave as many comments as you like. Come back and support someone else. If you’ve never been in a mastermind group before, see what it’s like by participating. You will be amazed!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, grab my RSS feed or subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

Related posts:

1. A Few Thoughts on Waiting for Opportunity to Knock

This post is time sensitive so if you receive my posts via my RSS Feed or email subscription that’s a good thing!

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is happening next week, November 15-21. In 100 countries. With 40,000 events and 10 million people.

There is a lot going on with this event… you’ll want to visit the GEW website. See if there are events happening in your area. Or download a speed networking guide and host your own event!

Here’s a brief excerpt from the site to give you an idea of what GEW is all about:

“For one week, millions of young people around the world join a growing movement of entrepreneurial people, to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things. Countries across six continents come together to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. To think big. To turn their ideas into reality. To make their mark.”

Another really cool thing that’s happening is The Global Innovation Game – or GIG. This is a social networking game played on Facebook. GIG challenges an international community of players to crowdsource solutions to problems impacting communities across the planet. You can check it out by clicking this link.

The Creativity World Forum in Oklahoma City will help kick-off GEW. This international conference will examine how creativity drives commerce, culture and Education.

Watch this totally inspiring video:

Many of you know I’m a business and entrepreneurship coach. To celebrate GEW I’d love to support you in your advanced thinking around entrepreneurship. So, let’s play! What one question do you have about becoming an entrepreneur? And for you successful entrepreneurs out there, what challenges are you facing right now? Please ask your questions in the comment below!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, grab my RSS feed or subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs.com over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

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1. Social media, changing the way we do business.
2. You Are Not Your Ego — It’s An Illusion

There are an infinite number of buyers and sellers in the world.

Infinite.

When you think in terms of abundance you clear your plate for a heaping serving of whatever you desire. Nature abhors a vacuum. Just be clear about what you want to receive.

To give freely to the needy and less fortunate, step outside the confines of a competitive mindset. It’s that simple. Believe in enough for everyone.

The world is not your competitor. In order to form partnerships, you cannot hold a life view of adversaries in every corner. Think of all the wondrous things that would remain undiscovered if you hesitate to share or create relationships.

When you collaborate for good, the possibilities are infinite. Collaborative competition brings out the best in everyone. Even in the Olympics, the world’s largest stage for individual and team competition, it’s less about beating the other competitor and more about bringing out the best in the individual performers and teams.… with a wonderful side benefit of inspiring millions.

Imagine cooperative competition. You’ll win before you even begin.

Your turn! I’d love to hear how you would fit this concept into your competitive activities. Please leave a comment below.

Related posts:

1. Entrepreneur… a mindset more than anything
2. What the TV Show Undercover Boss Knows – And You Should Too!

Do you ever get “stuck” for conversation ideas while networking? Or, worse yet, somehow find yourself talking only about yourself?

Do you ever get completely tongue tied because you are intimidated by meeting someone new?

You can change this by practicing a little humanity. Like, having a genuine human curiosity about the person you’re engaging with.

“Hey, I really liked her!” (…or him)

That’s what the person you just met is going to think when you let the conversation be about them. Most people like being the topic of conversation.

When you’re networking it’s not that hard to just pretend you’re at a barbecue. People get tongue tied at professional events only because they forget the human element.

Ask any question that demonstrates a bona fide interest in the other person.

There’s probably some bad questions, like, “Do you like my hair?” or, “Do you have any relatives in jail?” Obvious stuff. And, you don’t have to come across as a stalker either. Try this… When you meet someone for the first time, pause for a minute and think to yourself, “Hey this is just another person like me. They have interests, hobbies, friends, family, etc.”

I like to look at someone and try to picture what they looked like when they were a little kid. Helps a lot if you’re intimidated by someone. And, it reminds me that we probably have more in common than not.

Here are some questions that will help you get the conversation rolling:

“Where are you from?”

“How’d y’all meet”? (works for couples, business partners, co-workers…)

“What led you into the business you’re in?”

“How did you ever come up with such a great idea?”

“What got you interested in that?

“When did you first know you were an entrepreneur?”

“What’s a subject you know a lot about?”

“When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?”

“What are some of the best places you’ve ever been?”

Just don’t push back to your own stuff all the time. Let the conversation be about the other person. When you play nice, you’re not talking about yourself – at all. You’re practicing the art of listening every chance you get.

Do you mind if I mention a personal pet peeve of mine? Please don’t stand there thinking about what you’re going to say next. It’s really, really obvious that you are no longer listening. Make an effort to listen to the answer and then ask a good follow up question related to what the person just said.

When you get really good at this, your biggest challenge might be figuring out how to end the conversation.

Which reminds me that I should give a word of caution here. Questions such as, “How are you doing?” or, “Are you enjoying that?”, can open the door to hearing all about the other person’s troubles and woes. This can be good… or bad. Obviously, you want to have a dialog that is positive and constructive. You don’t want to risk getting into a conversation where you need to play psychologist. On the other hand, if you are interested in getting someone interested in a new opportunity, it might be a good thing to discover that they are ready to move on.

But seriously, ask these questions at your own risk.

How about you? Do you have some great questions to contribute?

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2. Sorry… What Was Your Name Again?

Do you love it when you connect with someone and both of you benefit?

Rather than seeing other businesses as your competition, have you considered the benefits of collaboration?

Cross industry partnerships are a great way to share, or increase, your database. You can integrate marketing campaigns. You can build your brand awareness in your community, whether that be brick and mortar or online, by partnering with industries that share your customer with you.

It’s a terrific way to draw from the knowledge of like-minded business people or partners.

Ask yourself, “Who else has my customer?”

Clients are glad to hire someone you endorse rather than go through the painful process of finding and hiring someone on their own.

Don’t you feel exactly the same way?

What if you teamed with five other professionals and said to your clients, “Here are my 5 new friends, you’ll need them today or in the future. I can highly recommend each of these professionals.” You set a referral fee schedule with your new professional friends and the person with the referring customer list gets the overriding referral money.

A realtor can team up with an electrician, a landscaper, a painter, a plumber, a house cleaner, a dog walker, a tree trimmer, etc.

A wedding planner can partner with a photographer, a cake maker, a travel agent, a bridal shop or a tux shop, a DJ or music group, etc.

A massage therapist can partner with a chiropractor, a health supplements distributor, an acupuncturist, a health club or spa… all businesses that are likely to share customers.

A cross referral system like this can explode everyone’s business. Your customers will continue to buy from you but they will also really appreciate the help you’ve provided by making your trusted partners and vendors available to them.

Who else has your customer?

Related posts:

1. How to promote your blog, website, product or service
2. How to Give a Great Sales Pitch!

We had a friend tell us recently that sometimes she felt she didn’t know anything everyone else didn’t already know.

It’s easy to feel that way, especially in the information age.

On the other hand, much of what we know is because, thank goodness, someone else knew it and was willing to share it with us.

Often times we’ve paid for that knowledge. Sometimes it comes from the most unexpected places.

One idea….

Life changing.

We’re huge fans of most entrepreneurs we meet. These are our Big Fish, Top Dogs and yes, Fat Cats! The amazing community we get to hang out with.

We give a special thanks to all of those entrepreneurs who are part of our world… and a huge welcome to the new entrepreneurs who are joining us!

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line below!

Related posts:

1. Welcome to Big Fish Top Dogs!

I get a ton of traffic to my blog from people who want to know how to ask someone to be their mentor. This post is part of a series on asking someone to be your mentor. Be sure to look for the links to the related posts at the bottom of this article!

In my post on How to Ask Someone to be Your Mentor I promised some additional examples of asking someone to be your mentor.

Having a mentor is an excellent way to acquire new skills and determine what skills you already possess and to explore your personal strengths and weaknesses.

A mentor can share personal experiences, be a sounding board for your ideas and give new perspectives to your strategies for achieving goals.

Here’s another approach to asking someone to be your mentor.

Find someone who has experience doing you what you want to learn about and ask for advice on a particular topic.

I recently wrote about a mentor of mine, Mike, who was investing in apartment buildings. I had experience in buying and selling single-family investment properties and decided my next step would be multi-family property investing.

In addition to doing a lot of independent research, I knew Mike would be a great resource for investing in a new asset class of real estate.

Using my friend Mike as an example, here’s an approach to asking someone to mentor you. This approach works almost every time.

Something like this,

“Mike, you are such an inspiration to me. I have some experience in real estate investing although it is limited to single-family properties. I’m very interested in learning about commercial real estate and would greatly value your expertise in buying and owning apartments buildings.

Would you be willing to guide me by telling me the top 5 things I need to know before I seriously pursue this?”

This gives me a great opportunity to start a dialog and to give Mike an idea how much I would appreciate knowing how he became successful and to find out what he would do in similar a situation, how he handled the same challenge I was currently faced with.

By approaching Mike this way, I demonstrated that I was willing to learn and accept feedback and that I had identified goals for my growth. By asking for the top 5 things I also set a limit on the amount of time I was asking of Mike — it may only take him 5 minutes to rattle them off the top of his head. He knows he is not making an open ended time commitment and will be eager to share his knowledge.

This is also a great way to see how well you work together. Was it enjoyable for both parties? If so, it is highly likely you will both want to continue the professional relationship.

Remember… Ask. Don’t hint, or dance around the topic, and don’t wait for a mentor to volunteer.

What if you don’t have any experience yet?

That’s a great question and the good news is, this approach can still work for you.

Here’s an example,

“Mike, I’m very interested in learning about commercial real estate and would greatly value your guidance in deciding if real estate investing is right for me.

Would you be willing to spend 15 minutes on the phone and tell me what, or who, inspired you to become a real estate investor and your best advice to someone who is just starting out?”

One last word…

And, I cannot repeat this enough. Always express gratitude.

Even if someone can only give you ten minutes of their time, thank them. You have made a great contact with someone whose expertise you value. Tell them so.

And finally…

It’s OK to tell someone you see him or her as a mentor. They will probably be extremely flattered, in fact, they may not think of themselves as mentor material until you plant the seed.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Grab my FREE eCourse on Smart Tips for Getting a Mentor! This 7 part series will help you find and ask someone to be your mentor. You’ll also get 23 extraordinary questions to ask your mentor! What are you waiting for?

Buy the book!

7 Surefire Ways To Ask Someone To Be Your Mentor
Scripts, Tips and Tactics For Getting A Mentor

by Theresa Bradley-Banta
A BigFishTopDogs.com Publication

Other great resources for asking someone to be your mentor:

You… Just Like Clark Kent. Glasses… No Glasses.
How To Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor By Email – Part II of The Joel Comm Project
Are You Ready for a Mentor? Will a Mentor Be a Good Fit?
Approaching Someone to be Your Mentor
How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor
Top 5 Ways to Find a Mentor
5 Top Strategies for Asking Someone to Be Your Mentor

Related posts:

1. Top 5 Ways to Find a Mentor
2. How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor

Be sure to grab my FREE, 7 part eCourse, Smart Tips For Getting A Mentor!

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I get a ton of traffic to my blog from people who want to know how to ask someone to be their mentor. This post is part of a series on asking someone to be your mentor. Be sure to look for the links to the related posts at the bottom of this article!

I’ve had mentors for years and I have been a mentor for years. I’ve worked with some of the top mentors in the world. My advice on how to ask someone to be a mentor might surprise you.

In short — don’t ask someone outright to be your mentor… read on.

When I first started my real estate business I was very successful in acquiring single-family properties and duplexes at great prices.

Then I found myself dealing with tenants. I hadn’t planned on going into the property management business.

No way was that part of my plan.

My strength was in acquiring great deals and managing the asset, not the residents of the properties.

Then I met Mike O’Donnell. We were in the same group of entrepreneurs who had signed up for a year-long program with entrepreneurs from all over the country.

Mike owned a 55-unit apartment building. Wow! Until then I hadn’t even considered buying apartment buildings.

What does this story have to do with asking someone to be your mentor?

Mike was a total inspiration to me. I admired his guts in starting big in the real estate business. He completely skipped the part about cutting your teeth on single-family deals.

I wanted to know how he did it.

He had a real estate model that completely solved my problem of having to deal with the daily needs of tenants. Mike’s tenants were not calling him to complain about leaking toilets and noisy neighbors — they were calling the management company!

I wanted Mike’s expert opinion.

So… I found a few other people from the same group who were looking to buy commercial real estate properties. Not everyone was looking for apartments. One guy, Earl, was focused on buying self-storage unit properties. With his wife Jeannine, they were buying small flip house on a large scale.

I suggested to Earl & Jeannine that we start an interest based mastermind group. When I approached Mike with the idea of getting together with other like-minded people he loved the idea.

It also brought something to the table for Mike… an opportunity to brainstorm with other entrepreneurs who were investing in commercial real estate.

We met once a week by phone for about two years and shared ideas on investing in commercial property. I learned so much from those guys during that time.

You can do the same. Join a group or organization based on common interests. Create a weekly mastermind group with 5 or 6 people who have similar visions or goals. Your group can consist of all levels of ability and experience, something that would be an advantage to each member of the group.

Great tip: Invite experts or successful entrepreneurs to join your mastermind call each week to present on their area of expertise for 10 or 15 minutes.

Don’t forget, mentors can get as much value out of mentoring as the mentee does.

And, the moral to the story?

I didn’t walk up to Mike and say, “Hey, will you be my mentor?”

At the time, I wasn’t clear about what a mentor did. Mike probably wasn’t either. In fact, I feel pretty sure that if I had approached him this way, he would have been humble — and politely refused.

Here’s the thing. Asking someone straight out to be your mentor may possibly backfire unless the other person has significant experience from mentoring in the past and knows what to expect.

It’s possible Mike would have felt I was asking too much of him. He may have been concerned about what he could offer. He may have had very real concerns about the amount of time I was asking him to make available to me.

A great mentor can be the difference between success and failure.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Grab my FREE eCourse on Smart Tips for Getting a Mentor! This 7 part series will help you find and ask someone to be your mentor. You’ll also get 23 extraordinary questions to ask your mentor! What are you waiting for?

Buy the book!

7 Surefire Ways To Ask Someone To Be Your Mentor
Scripts, Tips and Tactics For Getting A Mentor

by Theresa Bradley-Banta
A BigFishTopDogs.com Publication

Other great resources for asking someone to be your mentor:

You… Just Like Clark Kent. Glasses… No Glasses.
How To Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor By Email – Part II of The Joel Comm Project
Are You Ready for a Mentor? Will a Mentor Be a Good Fit?
Approaching Someone to be Your Mentor
How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor
Top 5 Ways to Find a Mentor
5 Top Strategies for Asking Someone to Be Your Mentor

Related posts:

1. 5 Top Strategies for Asking Someone to Be Your Mentor
2. Top 5 Ways to Find a Mentor

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I get a ton of traffic to my blog from people who want to know how to ask someone to be their mentor. This post is part of a series on asking someone to be your mentor. Be sure to look for the links to the related posts at the bottom of this article!

Most of the top entrepreneurs in the business world have had mentors that assisted them in their career, business or psychology. And, most of these professionals will continue to have mentors throughout their lives and will mentor others. A mentor is someone who can guide you (or take you under his or her wing) in becoming a better entrepreneur.

Here are the top 5 ways to find a mentor:

#1 Do your homework first.

Never tell a prospective mentor you are not sure how they can be of assistance to you, or that you do not have a business plan. Lay some very real groundwork on your project or idea, such as having all the financials in place, or a brochure describing your product or service. When asking someone to be your mentor, find out what you can do in preparation for a mentoring session and be willing to do the work necessary for your first call.

#2 Know yourself and your business or project.

List your strengths and weaknesses. Describe your goals, business and/or project to help clarify where a mentor can be of assistance. Write down the types of qualities you desire in a mentor. Evaluate your own personality type. Think about what you are looking for in a relationship. The clearer you are about this, the better idea you can give a mentor of what type of support you need.

#3 Use your connections.

Your alumni associations, professors, clients, social media friends & connections, all are good resources for finding a mentor.

#4 Join a group.

Utilize social media; Linkedin has numerous entrepreneur groups you can join and post a discussion. Investment groups, local business groups and networking groups have been established to gather like-minded people and to assist them in their business growth.

#5 Ask for referrals.

Tell everyone you know — your friends, family, co-workers, retired executives, neighbors — that you need a mentor. Everyone you talk to is a potential resource for finding a mentor.

Be prepared to be a good mentee. Always take the advice of a mentor seriously and follow-up on suggestions or “homework” assignments.

Lastly, don’t assume the other person has time. Don’t assume they would be a good fit for you. Don’t assume they would be willing to mentor you. Don’t assume they have a genuine interest in your growth. The best mentors share the same level of interest and commitment as you.

And, always send a thank you letter or email to everyone who supported you or mentored you.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Grab my FREE eCourse on Smart Tips for Getting a Mentor! This 7 part series will help you find and ask someone to be your mentor. You’ll also get 23 extraordinary questions to ask your mentor! What are you waiting for?

Buy the book!

7 Surefire Ways To Ask Someone To Be Your Mentor
Scripts, Tips and Tactics For Getting A Mentor

by Theresa Bradley-Banta
A BigFishTopDogs.com Publication

Other great resources for asking someone to be your mentor:

You… Just Like Clark Kent. Glasses… No Glasses.
How To Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor By Email – Part II of The Joel Comm Project
Are You Ready for a Mentor? Will a Mentor Be a Good Fit?
Approaching Someone to be Your Mentor
How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor
Top 5 Ways to Find a Mentor
5 Top Strategies for Asking Someone to Be Your Mentor

Related posts:

1. 5 Top Strategies for Asking Someone to Be Your Mentor

I get a ton of traffic to my blog from people who want to know how to ask someone to be their mentor. This post is part of a series on asking someone to be your mentor. Be sure to look for the links to the related posts at the bottom of this article!

How would you like to have a great mentor? A mentor can help you succeed in business. A mentor can support you in almost every aspect of your life. It may be in relationships, family life, spirituality, sports, health, etc. Your mentor can guide you, be a sounding board and help you achieve your goals.

Sometimes the most challenging part is asking someone to mentor you.

Here are the 5 top strategies for asking someone to be your mentor:

#1 Bring something to the table.

Analyze what you have to offer in exchange for a mentor’s time. Do you have a database or a highly trafficked website where you can highlight the mentor’s business? Are you able to joint venture on a project by offering a resource the prospective mentor doesn’t have? For example, you have a distribution center that does not offer a product similar to the mentor’s service or product and you make your distribution center available for their product.

#2 Be complimentary.

Before approaching a prospective mentor, become familiar with their business, service or product. If they have a website, visit the site. If they speak in front of groups, attend a speaking engagement. Tell the prospective mentor what you admire about them and where you see they might be able to compliment you and your business.

#3 Ask how they got started.

This is a good reminder of the fact that they probably had mentors that helped them along the way and they may have a desire to repay the generosity of others. Ask for ideas, based on their experience, of ways you might find a mentor and how their mentor helped them. This is a way of establishing a good framework for that person’s assistance.

#4 Offer to pay.

When you are asking someone for their valuable time you should be willing to honor the value they bring to the table with some financial compensation. In all likelihood someone who is willing to mentor you will not ask to be paid for their support, but the offer to pay should be made to show that you truly value the other person’s contribution.

#5 Appeal to common interests.

Chances are you are approaching an individual because you already believe common interests exist. This could be that you both share the same level of passion for business, have the same values, belong to related industries or groups, have the same level of commitment to goals and visions, to name a few.

Lastly — don’t assume.

Don’t assume the other person has time. Don’t assume they would be a good fit for you. Don’t assume they would be willing to mentor you. Don’t assume they have a genuine interest in your growth. The best mentors share the same level of interest and commitment as you.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Grab my FREE eCourse on Smart Tips for Getting a Mentor! This 7 part series will help you find and ask someone to be your mentor. You’ll also get 23 extraordinary questions to ask your mentor! What are you waiting for?

Buy the book!

7 Surefire Ways To Ask Someone To Be Your Mentor
Scripts, Tips and Tactics For Getting A Mentor

by Theresa Bradley-Banta
A BigFishTopDogs.com Publication

Other great resources for asking someone to be your mentor:

You… Just Like Clark Kent. Glasses… No Glasses.
How To Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor By Email – Part II of The Joel Comm Project
Are You Ready for a Mentor? Will a Mentor Be a Good Fit?
Approaching Someone to be Your Mentor
How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor
Top 5 Ways to Find a Mentor
5 Top Strategies for Asking Someone to Be Your Mentor

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