By Travis Steffen Say two competing entrepreneurs go head to head. Assume they have the same advantages and resources, except access to mentorship opportunities. The one with a great mentor is more likely to become more successful sooner than the one without. While I usually don't mess around much with hypotheticals, this concept isn't exactly rocket science. However, I'd like to propose an alternate perspective, which brings to light the opportunity cost of being the entrepreneur without a mentor. Not having a mentor could actually be costing you money. Here are 7 reasons why: 1. You have only your own mistakes to learn from. Sometimes mistakes are the most powerful learning tool you can have. But who says they always have to be your mistakes? Learning from mistakes your mentor has already made and bounced back from can provide a shortcut on your road to the right decision. Will their situations always be identical to the ones you're facing? No, but they can allow you to make much more informed decisions. 2. People are more likely to ignore unsolicited inquiries. If you're a relative newcomer who is very good at what you do, it may still take you years to break into your industry and partner with some of the more established heavy hitters. A cold call or email will often get tossed onto the pile. However, with an introduction provided by somebody whose name already holds water, you can get your foot in the door faster. 3. "You are the sum of the people you associate with most." We've all heard this before - but while we toss it around to others, few of us truly embrace it ourselves. Having someone you strive to emulate as a mentor and working hard to spend time around them and people like them can bring you closer to becoming who you really want to be. Read article...<http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2014/08/13/seven-reasons-not-having-a-mentor-is-costing-you-money/>
Stephanie (Sara Leah) Gross MSLIS, MATESOL Past Chair, AJL Mentoring Pollack Library Yeshiva University 500 West 185th Street New York NY 10033-3229 212.960.5442 Skype: Stephanie.l.gross http://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanielgross http://yeshiva.academia.edu/StephanieGross "As we look ahead to the next century, leaders will be those who empower others." - Bill Gates.
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