Kaycee was floundering with her small business. Then she found a mentor

Kaycee was floundering. The 31-year-old had started her own e-commerce store four years ago, but didn’t know how to grow her budding business. “I knew where I wanted to go with business and life,” she says.“I had all the ideas, I just didn’t really have the ability to execute them.”

She’d seen her friend, a fellow small-business owner, flourish under the guidance of a mentor. Kaycee toyed with the idea of finding her own mentor but felt she couldn’t justify forking out the “substantial” expense at a time when she was struggling financially. She also didn’t think the cost would be worth it.

Mentoring can be mutually beneficial for both parties involved.Credit: Stocksy

But as the years rolled on, Kaycee realised she was spending more of her time “putting out fires” than working on expanding her company. So, earlier this year, she bit the bullet and met her friend’s mentor. This encounter not only motivated Kaycee, it also armed her with practical, hands-on strategies to help her business grow.

Having a mentor also reduced Kaycee’s stress levels. Instead of her stomach being in knots as she agonised over decisions, she walked away from meetings with her mentor feeling “a lot clearer and a lot more focused”. Once Kaycee understood the power of mentorship, she eagerly signed up with another mentor whom she met at a weekend business retreat.

Phil Gardner isn’t surprised by Kaycee’s enthusiasm for mentors. As the CEO of the Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN), a not-for-profit organisation that connects volunteer corporate mentors with students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, Gardner has seen the results of mentoring first-hand.

During mentoring sessions, he says even the most reserved students come out of their shells: “They get energised and engaged and take away tangible skills.” And the process isn’t just beneficial for those on the receiving end. Gardner says it’s “an immersive and joyful experience” for people sharing their wisdom. “Mentors get a sense of purpose from giving back.”

Steph can speak to that, having had a mentor in a previous corporate role. She then applied what she’d learnt when starting her own small business four years ago. The 37-year-old says her mentor boosted her confidence, while giving her the guidance and perspective she craved.

“Knowing I’ve helped other women in business with their questions, their self-confidence and being a cheerleader in their corner is very rewarding.”

Steph now thrives on mentoring others, a role she finds nourishing. “Knowing I’ve helped other women in business with their questions, their self-confidence and being a cheerleader in their corner is very rewarding.”

Would you like to find a mentor but don’t know where to start? Kaycee suggests asking friends and colleagues to recommend one as a first step.

Alternatively, Gardner says most corporate organisations have a human resources department that can help you find a suitable mentor. Reaching out to people you admire within your field can also get the ball rolling, Steph adds.

Kaycee now meets her in-person mentor twice a month as part of a group, and monthly one-on-one. She also uses the online forum run by her other mentor to bounce ideas off like-minded members. While it’s a serious financial commitment, she views it as an investment that’s helped grow her business, improve her confidence and reduce her stress. Instead of shouldering work worries alone, she says that having a mentor “takes that load off”.

Evelyn Lewin is a qualified GP and freelance writer.

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