They Let Me Be a Mentor

I'm uncertain if they actually let me be a mentor.  I don't get paid to do it.  I just pick my favorite little sequins and I give them career advice.  Whether they like it or not.  So realistically nobody lets me be a mentor, I just am one.

Regardless of how I got here - I'm here.  I've got my flock of little future world leaders and I spend some of my free time imparting my wisdom upon their fresh little minds.  I still kind of feel like an imposter giving business advice to anyone - but I also oddly buy into my own product.  I've had this crazy nontraditional journey that I'm sure isn't over - and I love that I can provide insight into achieving your dreams without having to follow the rules.

That being said - I'm really picky about who I gift my wisdom to.  I place high value on my brand and so if you're associated with me and my brand - you've got to measure up.  I'm happy to gift 30 minutes of my time to speak to someone about the industry and briefly offer some advice - but should I invest anymore time than that - I've got to believe in who you are and where you're headed.  If I'm adopting you as my little sequin of the future -I'm committing time and energy and resources into helping you succeed - so you've got to earn that trust and investment.

Mentorship is important to me.  The people I bring into my business world are important to me.  It gives me a lot of fulfillment to be able to build these sequins up and encourage them to be their best selves, follow their dreams, and never settle.  And although a lot of them tell me they can't get where they are without me - I can't grow without them.  They motivate me to work hard, keep my passions first, and that I can have it all.  They also remind me of where I came from.  They remind me to never forget what I've been through and where I'm going.  They continue to inspire me and teach me as much as I teach them. 

If you're not a mentor, become one.  If you don't have a mentor, get one.  But be picky.  The mentor/mentee relationship is sacred.  It's trusting your goals, dreams, insecurities, past, present, and future - with someone who you should aim to build a lifelong relationship with.  And its not a way to get ahead.  It's not a connection you use to get somewhere.  It's a bond that is supposed to grow who you are as a person in business and in life.  It's not to be taken lightly and if you do it right, it can change your life.