Get involved and connect with groups that will help foster your growth and will keep you engaged in achieving more knowledge about making your brand better. Join an organization that offers networking, training and resources tailored to your industry. The more people you know in your industry, the more support you have; and the more successful you can become. You would be amazed at the percent of loyal customers you receive by just word of mouth. In the industry of products and services, your reputation means EVERYTHING! Your customers are moved to experience your service by the feedback from others that have heard or experienced your product. So be mindful of how you honor each customers’ experience in your business. Lead with a great experience.
It is so vital to the growth of your business to find an effective mentor and coach. They both have very distinctive purposes and goals to draw out your potential and cultivate your strengths.
Mentors often times have a close personal interest with the mentee. Mentors are more like teachers. They allow you sometimes to struggle to find the path that’s best for you with a little guidance. Mentors empower you to do certain things you possibly wouldn’t. They listen and help you find your voice without making decisions for you. The relationship between the mentor (leader) and mentee must be accepted and agreed upon by the mentee or it will not be successful.
Coaches are more performance oriented, your coach will generally focus on a specific agenda with you. They tend to be task related and help to improve certain skill sets. Coaches help you with understanding your position, responsibilities and expectations in different arenas. Within my business there are many times I wear both hats depending on what we are trying to achieve. I may wear my “coaching” hat at a staff meeting, where I may need to boost company culture morale or talk about strategic plans to get our team to the next level. I may switch and wear my “mentor” hat during a meeting with a staff member (one-on-one) that I feel has the potential to be a stronger leader and we work closer together to develop those skills.
Whether you’re just starting out or you want to be a more effective leader and take your business to the next level, having a strong support team is key. Mentors and coaches will help you grow, guide you and push you to achieve higher goals for your business.