The experienced helps the beginner
Being an entrepreneur is a challenge. New ventures are always accompanied by difficult decisions, for which young people and new entrepreneurs may not have the answers or the experience necessary to at least make an informed choice.
In a world characterized by an abundance of information and data, they can use reports, documents, market studies, business manuals, among others, that will surely help them. However, only a business mentor can really share his knowledge with young entrepreneurs in a way that can have a direct positive impact on business growth over time.
How can a mentor help?
One of the main benefits of the mentor-apprentice relationship is the advice of a more experienced party. Because they are experienced, mentors can also provide context and perspectives that were not previously considered. And also because they have been doing business for many years, mentors have valuable contacts in the business world.
However, the central role of the mentor should be to motivate. Making mistakes is inevitable, both for those who are brave enough and for entrepreneurship. Failure is inherent to entrepreneurship. However, in order to be strong enough to overcome mistakes and continue to pursue goals, entrepreneurs also have to be highly motivated and believe in the mission they pursue.
They (the entrepreneurs) will never be truly motivated and will never be strong enough to overcome adversity if they do not believe in themselves.
In this sense, mentors, through their concrete and specific personal experiences, can act as great motivators, explaining to entrepreneurs who fail for the first time that this is normal and that the only way to achieve success is to persist, insist, make mistakes, learn and reinsist.
The mentor also learns
There is a disinterested element in mentoring. However, it is not just a one-sided issue. Mentoring a promising entrepreneur is a great way to give back to the community and society at large.
Cutting-edge initiatives and the latest trends
When it comes to supporting and contributing to the progress of others, the mentor also has a huge opportunity to continue learning. First of all, young entrepreneurs are always working with cutting-edge initiatives and leading the latest trends. Any mentor who has a chance to support them, necessarily obtains first-hand insightsinto the latest innovations, helping them to avoid getting rusty.
One of the greatest threats to a “successful” entrepreneur is inertia; believe that you have already reached the top and that you cannot move on.
Contact list
In addition, by supporting and helping new businesses thrive, mentors create close connections with the future generation of business leaders, expanding their own contact list. Many of today’s young entrepreneurs will be the great entrepreneurs of the future, from Mozambique and the African continent.
Leadership skills
Finally, mentoring helps to improve the mentor’s leadership ability. Anyone who runs a business is already a mentor and a leader. But by supporting others, the mentor learns to reveal the best in them, to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, to be diplomatic and, at the same time, to obtain results, to give good advice and to be supportive.
Mentoring: an opportunity that will benefit everyone
The apprentice will certainly benefit from the support and his business will improve a lot, but with better leadership skills on his back, the mentor can also learn to organize his own business in a more efficient and humane way. The business fabric of Mozambique and Africa still has much to improve. Improving our business climate will be essential to ensure a prosperous future for future generations. We, the entrepreneurs who have already managed to consolidate their businesses, have a great responsibility in this regard. But we must think of this process as an opportunity that will benefit everyone.
Referências
Daniel David – Empreender é Transformar. Disponível em https://ddavid.org/ Acedido em 12 de Fevereiro de 2021.