NETWORK OF MENTOR RELATIONSHIPS AND CONTACTS
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Networking is a very important valuable and personal that takes years to cultivate and is not shared happily. However, in the spirit of support the entrepreneur in his or her growth, it is good that the mentor (see+), once late in the life cycle of the relationship, give them some visibility and refer them to someone who can support them in their development. Having access to other sources to help you think about more specific issues is a legitimate expectation of some mentees.
Let's look for then, as mentors, activities that are related to their areas of interest and that allow them to make contact with other professionals.
For example: inviting the mentee to a meeting with the mentor's own team or facilitating the mentee to talk to a colleague about a specific topic of interest to the mentee.
It is good for the relationship to seek actions that enable the mentee to make contact with other sources that can provide value. Learning by observing is a powerful way to assimilate new concepts. Mentors can certainly play an important role in accelerating the mentee's progress and growth with the support of others.
At MentorDay we have tools to facilitate contacts
- Event of Networking (see+) every first Thursday of the month.
- mentorADVISOR (+), direct contact with the expert volunteers who make up mentorDay.
A mentor's network of contacts can be an important a very valuable resource for an entrepreneur, as it allows access to new opportunities and connections in the sector or ecosystem.
Some ways in which a mentor can use his or her network of contacts to help the entrepreneur are:
- Introduce the entrepreneur to other entrepreneurs and industry leaders who can offer advice and support.
- Introduce the entrepreneur to potential investors or help him/her to find financing for his/her business.
- Facilitate the search for new customers and business partners for the entrepreneur.
- Provide referrals for suppliers, contractors and other services that may be useful to the entrepreneur.
- Help the entrepreneur to expand his or her network at relevant industry events and conferences.
It is important to keep in mind that the mentor's network of contacts should be used in an ethical and responsible manner. The mentor must ensure that any contacts or connections offered are relevant and benefit the entrepreneur in a fair and equitable manner.
How can a mentor share his or her network with the entrepreneur?
TO SHARE YOUR NETWORK WITH YOUR ENTREPRENEUR, THE MENTOR CAN TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
- Identify relevant contacts: The mentor should identify contacts in his or her network who can be useful to the entrepreneur. It is important that these contacts have a connection to the entrepreneur's business or industry and can offer advice, resources or support.
- Introduce the entrepreneur to contacts: The mentor should introduce the entrepreneur to the contacts in an appropriate and professional manner. It is important to provide information about the entrepreneur's business and goals, as well as to establish a connection between the entrepreneur and the contact.
- Set clear expectations: The mentor should set clear expectations with the entrepreneur and the contact on how they can benefit each other. It is important to be transparent about the nature of the connection and ensure that all involved are comfortable with the collaboration.
- Facilitating communication: The mentor should facilitate communication between the entrepreneur and the contacts, ensuring that there is a good understanding of the needs and opportunities on both sides.
- Keep in touch: After the initial introduction, the mentor should keep in touch with the entrepreneur and the contacts, making sure that the collaboration is fruitful and that there is a good flow of communication.
IN GENERAL
The key to sharing a mentor's network with an entrepreneur is to establish a relationship of trust and transparency and to work together to ensure that the collaboration is mutually beneficial.
TASK
CASE STUDY OF A MENTOR HELPING AN ENTREPRENEUR BY SHARING HIS NETWORK OF CONTACTS
Suppose the mentor is a successful entrepreneur in the technology industry, and has been selected to mentor a young entrepreneur who has launched an artificial intelligence software development startup.
To help the entrepreneur, the mentor decides to share his or her network of relevant contacts in the industry. After identifying contacts that could be useful for the entrepreneur, the mentor introduces the entrepreneur to a contact working in a leading company in the artificial intelligence sector.
The contact from the leading artificial intelligence company is an expert in the development of machine learning models and has worked on projects similar to the entrepreneur's project. The mentor establishes an initial connection between the entrepreneur and the contact, sharing information about the entrepreneur's business and the goals of the software project.
After the initial presentation, the entrepreneur and the contact have several meetings and conversations by phone and email to discuss the project in depth and share ideas. The contact from the leading artificial intelligence company offers advice and guidance on how to improve the machine learning model, as well as recommendations for implementation and testing.
With the help of the mentor contact, the entrepreneur can significantly improve his software model and achieve greater accuracy in data classification. In addition, the contact also introduces the entrepreneur to other industry experts who can offer further support and advice.
In this case study, the mentor helped the entrepreneur through his network of relevant industry contacts, enabling him to access expertise and resources that would otherwise have been difficult to obtain.
The collaboration between the entrepreneur and the mentor's contacts was beneficial for all involved, and the entrepreneur was able to significantly improve his software project thanks to the help of the mentor and his network of contacts.
QUIZ
After the question and before think of yourself.
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[...] Increase their network of contacts: Entrepreneurs who agree to mentoring end up with a wider network of contacts (networking) which becomes a very positive asset. [...]
Networking is key ! Thank you very much
Learning by observing is very enriching. Offering this option is a very valuable task for the mentee and here the mentor and his or her network of contacts play a key role. A fluid relationship between mentor and mentee will make use of the full potential of this tool.