In recent years we've seen all kinds of upheavals within the business world, online and off. How do we as internet business owners run our business successfully and profitably during such uncertain times?
How do we navigate through the ups and downs of internet business and maintain our profitability when everything is changing so fast?
How do we learn what you need in order to be successful in our internet business, to keep with the rapid changes happening in the business world?
The smartest and quickest way to create business success is to learn from those that have gone before you! People that have real life experience can save you thousands of hours of wasted effort.
That sounds easy, but how do you find a good business mentor? On the internet there are thousands of people offering advice, coaching, education and training on how to start and run a successful home based business.
How do you decide who to listen to? Most of all, how do you tell what is hype and what is real?
By now we have all seen the "get rich quick" mentality offered by high priced internet business gurus who promise large incomes for little or no effort. Many times you are not even told what product you are selling!
Some of these offers can be very tempting especially to a newcomer in the world of internet business. Sadly, most often these high priced and high hype opportunities obscure the truth of what really is required to successfully run a home based business online.
So many people have lost money and worse than this, have lost their hope of ever gaining financial independence, through putting their trust in the wrong business mentors.
The decisions you make about WHO to learn from can dramatically impact the future of your business!
How to Choose the Right Business Mentors
I've had some interesting learning experiences in my search for the right business mentors. By the word "mentor" I mean anyone you choose to learn from ... teachers, coaches, business team leaders, authors, experts, colleagues.
I didn't think a lot about this when I first started my online business, until I discovered some gaps between my own standards of integrity, and that of some people or companies I was working with.
This dissonance created an inner conflict that prevented me from feeling good about what I was doing ... and I noticed I wasn't making much money either!
Ultimately I decided to let go of those business mentors that did not match my own values. Once I became more conscious of how important integrity and values are to me, I made this one of my criteria in searching for business mentors. As my values got onto the "same page" with my business choices, I found my income growing and my business expanding.
In business, and in life, it is crucial to choose carefully those that you follow. The future success of your internet business is at stake!
What Is Most Important to You?
As one of my business mentors says ... "Every cell of your body needs to be on the same page with your business" in order for you to succeed.
Before you go out their seeking the advice of others, take some time to get to know what YOU want. What is most important to you in your business success? Write this down. Next, create a list of the most important qualities and areas of expertise that you want your mentors to have. Be clear about you want, and then it will be much easier to find it!
I have discovered over time that I need business mentors who have exceptional integrity, who empower and inspire me, who facilitate the deepening of my connection with my own sense of truth, who are not afraid to be direct and truthful. I learned all this mostly by NOT finding it! I was being disappointed over and over again, until I learned to be clearer in knowing what I needed and going after it.
Sensing Truth
We are all born with an innate sense of what is true. Have you noticed how children can sense truth even if your words are not saying it? They respond to the non-verbal signals and energies of people, sometimes even more than adults who have learned to shut down their own natural "inner truth meter".
Our culture for the most part does not yet value this innate sense of truth that we're born with. In an environment like the internet where anyone can put up a website, it becomes tremendously important to be able to contact our own sense of inner truth when looking for business mentors.
Thankfully, we can re-activate this "truth center" with the sincere intention to find and reclaim our own heart's inner wisdom. Reclaiming access to our own inner sense of truth has so many benefits in all aspects of our life. In business this can save you many headaches, because you will learn how to avoid getting deceived by hype and false promises.
Finding Business Mentors You Can Trust
Whether you are hiring someone for coaching, attending their workshop or class, purchasing an e-book or service, or joining their network marketing team ... first take some time to learn about the person you want to learn from. Learn about their background, credentials and experience. For example, f you want to learn about how to set up a successful soap making business, you'll want to find someone who has done this who can teach you how to do this.
The more closely you intend to work with someone, the more carefully you'll want to check out that person to make sure there is a good fit. If you're going to be in a long term coaching relationship it is essential that you communicate with your potential business mentor, to ensure that you work well.
In addition, I encourage you also to think about the following questions.
* Do you feel inspired, empowered and uplifted from your prospective mentor's teachings?
* Do you feel more connected with your own inner sense of truth from their teachings?
* Does your prospective business mentor walk their talk? Do they practice what they preach? Do they follow their own advice, use the products they sell, and embody and express the principles they are talking about?
* Does their "energy" match their words? For example if a coach is speaking about the importance of holding a positive attitude towards others, do you experience this positive attitude actually coming from them? OR do their words say one thing, but their energy conveys something else?
In Summary
Before taking the advice of anyone, always ask your intuition and your inner sense of truth. Develop a list of the qualities and expertise you need in your business mentor. Use discernment to navigate through the sea of information on the internet, to find business mentors of integrity and wisdom that can empower you to success. Trust you instincts, avoid hype, and set your intention to create business success!