You can leave a great legacy

KNOWLEDGE: PASS ON WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT

Many entrepreneurs could benefit from the experience and knowledge of a successful businessperson.

If you have ever started a business and subsequently succeeded in it, you would agree that your journey could have been slightly easier if you’d had a mentor who could have advised you in various areas, enabling you to make better decisions.

Fast forward to today and you have undoubtedly gained mountains of invaluable experience, knowledge and understanding and you might be thinking of imparting some of that to someone else by becoming a mentor.

There are a few important items to consider.

First, ask yourself if you have the time.

There is nothing more frustrating than having someone agree to help you but who doesn’t have the time.

If you have too much on your plate, then do not mentor an entrepreneur.

Rather they find someone who has the time and patience required to effectively mentor them.

Believe in them

It is possible that people do not believe in their idea, which is always emotionally difficult – especially if those non believers are their closest confidants. But having someone believe in them can boost any dejected entrepreneur’s morale, especially if it’s a seasoned, successful entrepreneur.

Be a teacher not a friend

Remember your role and do not let it be diluted with friendship. It is easy to let the two overlap. But if you are to be an effective mentor, you must maintain a professional relationship which will allow you to criticise and rebuke when needs be.

Do not hold their hand

Sometimes mentors get too involved, to the point where they are essentially indirectly running the business. You want to help them make better decisions, not make decisions for them. Your role is of a guidance teacher, not a silent partner.

Do not replicate yourself

Mentors often make the mistake of attempting to create an image of themselves in their mentee. But that hinders the mentee from becoming their own person with their own characteristics and approach to business. A great mentor creates a platform that enables the mentee to discover himself/herself and subsequently become their own unique entrepreneur.

Do not be unethical

There have been stories of mentors demanding a share or some sort of payment from the business after the entrepreneur becomes successful, which was due in part to the mentor’s guidance. That is unethical and goes against everything a mentor represents. The success of your mentee should be payment enough for your job well done.

Munya Duvera is CEO at Duvera Elgroup

First ask yourself whether you have the time.