Why mentorship works

About a week ago, I was sitting in the car with my partner, and we were talking about our careers. She asked me what I think the most impactful thing was for my career. That was easy, “mentorship”, I said. For a second I flashed back to a 2016 car ride with my first mentor. I barely remember the ride because I was nervous, brain buried in the report that I was presenting to the client. I laughed a few seconds after answering her. “Those were easy-hard times”. I explained, “Easy because I was being spoon-fed guidance, it was easy to listen. The hard part was actually doing it. Identifying my limiting beliefs and trying to progress past them.”

During that time I was focused on improving and showing my improvements in the “real world”. Slightly obsessed with my goals, I was terrified of not being prepared when the opportunity called for it. This feeling is what led me to look for my first mentor. I’ve had multiple mentors, parents, managers, friends, and people I’ve actively sought out.

 No matter how skilled you are, mentorship is suitable for any point in your life.

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Why mentorship works for entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs, mentorship is practical leverage. It shortens feedback loops, cuts accidental errors, and opens doors you can’t open alone. Founders with mentors move faster: cleaner operations, better fundraising prep, clearer decisions. As Warren Buffett said, “It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” A strong mentor adds three things: pattern recognition, accountability, and access.

The workflow is simple; actually getting yourself to do it is hard. Figure out what you’re going to do, execute it, and report back. Eric Schmidt put it plainly: “Everyone needs a coach.”

What I’ve learned from being both a mentee and mentor:

Speeds up learning: Learning curves can be painful. You get the right next step at the right time. That means fewer roadblocks and less money burned on “maybe.” Ask for specific drills, not theoretical ideas. Track your work and results so you can see progress.

Forces you to grow: Real mentorship creates friction and accountability. You agree on one uncomfortable action, then you do it. If there’s no discomfort, there’s no growth. As a mentee you should share results with your mentor, to show them you’re absorbing what they’re teaching. Obviously, this helps you but also shows you’re serious.

Strengthens your network: I’ve met great people from being both a mentor and mentee. Your mentor should have your best intentions at heart. The people you meet through your mentor are valuable as you’ve already been “vetted” by someone they trust. Building these relationships and learning from these new connections is how you grow faster.

Gives you an ego check: Sometimes, we think we’re better than we actually are at certain things. That's ok it happens, just don't live in delusion. Ask for a score out of 10 and what makes it a 9. Design a plan that forces you to develop that skill. My mentors have always pointed out my weaknesses and helped me work on them. You do that too. It hurts the ego but it feels so good when you fix the problem.

Helps you think better:  One of my mentors in my early 20s blew my mind at the way he would think about business problems. This made me firmly believe that good business thinking comes first. A strong mentor forces you to make trade-offs, challenges your assumptions, and stops you from doing busywork. Let them poke holes in the way you think about things, then apply what you learn.

I’m sure there are many points that I left out, but these were the aspects of mentorship that changed my life, for the better. The power of an outside perspective is not to be underestimated.

I chose consulting because I’ve seen what a strong outside voice can do. It shortens the path by removing obstacles and lifts the ceiling that holds you back. When a client hires me, they trust me to tilt their trajectory in the right direction. I take that seriously. My job is simple: tell the truth, ask hard questions, make the plan actionable, and do the work beside them. That’s my why.