In order to grow a strong and successful business, in any industry, you must know where to get business advice and mentoring. I’m often approached by people who want to know what to look for in a business advisor.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that the most important step you can take at the start is to position your business properly. When you focus on the best (market-tested) positioning, and you rapidly build business credibility, you will have completed two of the most important steps.

Sometimes, though, the most difficult step to take is the first one- and this is where a business mentor or advisor can help you. Let’s talk about how to identify the right business coach or advisor for you.

First, your chosen mentor must have the kind of business you want to have. There is a reason I constantly emphasize momentum, rapid business building, and cash flow generation- it’s because I want to work with clients who want these same things. And, coincidentally (or maybe not), the clients who want these things seek me out. So there should be a 1:1 relationship between what your business mentor offers and what you are seeking.

Second, you want to be sure that your business coach has helped others like you. Does he or she have testimonials and satisfied endorsements from others? Look for case studies, examples, references, and positive word of mouth.

Third, does this business advisor have a documented system for leading you progressively through some kind of process? Can he or she detail this system so you understand exactly what you’re investing in?

Fourth, does this business consultant continually innovate new products and services to help you reach your second, third, and fourth level goals as well?

Fifth, is he or she someone you can respect? You need to have some kind of values match or similarity in order to work well together.

It is unwise to seek business advice from someone who doesn’t possess each of these six traits. Most of the time, people start by getting business advice from their friends or family, most of whom don’t meet this full list of criteria.

It can be scary to admit you don’t know something, and that you need help- but this discomfort is small compared to the distress and worry that comes from being unsuccessful at building your business.

I’m not the right mentor for everyone, and not everyone is the right client for me.

But if you feel that I might be a good next step in your business development pathway, I invite you to work with me.

Create More Value, Make More Money

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