If you run a lean organization there are times you need advice…one option to consider is finding a mentor.

Finding Mentors
Kelly Spor in a Wall Street Journal article Web Sites Offer Access to Mentors discusses finding a mentor using on-line mentoring using sites like MicroMentor and iMantri.com. She goes on to discuss the pros and cons of a relationship that is completely on-line. The biggest pro I can see is the ability to mentor and be mentored on your own schedule and not have to coordinate unless the discussion is to be live. The downside is by not meeting the person you don’t have the benefit of reading body language. Body language when you are a languishing start-up can be important.

Depending on where you live, one of the following organizations could help you meet experienced people who could serve as a mentor off or on-line:

• SCORE
• Women’s Business Development Center (the Center for Women & Enterprise in Boston)
• Small Business Development Center, usually at a local college or university
• Colleges or Universities offering entrepreneurship programs
• Chambers of Commerce
• Relevant trade associations

Building the Relationship
To build a successful relationship you need to:

• Understand and articulate your goals, specifically what you expect to get out of the relationship.
• Be able to devote the time it takes to be prepared for the meetings or calls.
• Be able to take constructive criticism.
• Be willing to give the relationship 3-6 months to form to where you can trust and rely on the mentor for the needed advice.

Mentors give back at no cost to you due to once having received similar help. So it is important that their experience, time, and talent be respected and valued.

If you are a business owner who has benefited from a mentor or a mentor who successfully helped a business owner, leave a comment about your story.