Harness the Power of Mentoring: How to Find and Work With the Right Mentor--A Guide for the Solopreneur

by Virginia McGowan PhD

Overview

Harness the Power of Mentoring: How to Find and Work With the Right Mentor--A Guide for the Solopreneur. Imagine being a successful solopreneur! Although most people have the drive and passion, few have the full set of personal attributes, skills, and experience that running a business requires. That’s the main reason more than half of all small business start-ups fail in their first five years of operation. This tells us that what small business owners need is help from someone who has ‘been there, done that.’ Someone who can help them plan their entrepreneurial journey, gain confidence, mature in their thinking and decision making, learn from mistakes: a mentor. No-one needs that help more than the solopreneur, who is someone in business on their own, a special type of business person. They differ from other entrepreneurs in many key areas: business practices, mindset, and objectives, to name a few. They prefer to work alone and often don’t intend to add anyone else to the business. They tend to focus on perfecting their skill as specialists. If they don’t do it, it doesn’t get done. Harness the Power of Mentoring speaks directly to the solopreneur.

It makes sense that most solopreneurs are in dire need of a mentor, but not just any mentor. They need mentors who understand the special case of the solopreneur. This concise and practical book is the first to provide guidance to the solopreneur so that they too can benefit from the right mentor, one who understands their special needs and can help them achieve their goals. You will discover what makes a solopreneur different from conventional entrepreneurs in their mindset, attitude, goals, and business practices; how to find the right mentor for you; how to plan your mentorship and business concept; how to have difficult--crucial--conversations with your mentor; how to evaluate your progress; and how to know when it is time to move on.

This book is the first of four books in The Business Mentoring Solution Series that focus on mentoring the solopreneur and is complemented by an accompanying Planner/Journal and ‘Tips’ booklet.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781775028734
Publisher:	Business Mentoring Solution
Publication date:	04/30/2019
Series:	The Business Mentoring Solution , #1
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.36(d)

About the Author

Virginia McGowan PhD is a solopreneur who has mentored and been mentored for more than thirty years in private business, academia, applied research, and federal government circles. The architect of a successful evidence-based business mentoring program for women entrepreneurs in Prince Edward Island, Canada, she is a mentor with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and is a certified mentoring program manager. Virginia is a well-published author, speaker, and adult educator, a member of Editors Canada, the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, and the International Mentoring Association; a professional-level member of Professional Writers Association of Canada; and an Adjunct Associate Professor (Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine). She has published extensively on recovery and healing from addictions, the criminal justice system, violent extremism, and diversity issues, as well as how community-based mentoring builds resiliency among women entrepreneurs and their communities. Virginia has authored and edited white papers, research reports, grant proposals, and guidelines; is a sought-after trainer speaker for business start-ups and mentoring programs; and blogs on mentoring the solopreneur and writing of non-fiction. Her complete CV and list of publications can be found on her LinkedIn site: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginiamcgowanphd/ Virginia lives in Prince Edward Island, Canada, with her husband and mischievous Havanese who managed to not eat the manuscript--yet!

Table of Contents

Foreword

Dedication

About the Author

Disclaimer

1. Solopreneurs and Business Mentors: Why you should consider a mentor

2. Values, Purpose, Vision, and Goals: What do you want to achieve?

3. Doing an Inventory: Discover what you need NOW

4. The Right Mentor for You: Finding the best fit for a solopreneur

5. Working with Your Mentor: How to develop and nurture a healthy mentoring relationship

6: Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail: Create a strategy for solopreneur success

7: Taking and Giving Feedback: Even when it’s hard to hear or say

8. Evaluate Your Progress: Learn from mistakes, celebrate successes

9. How to Say Thanks and Goodbye: When your mentorship has run its course

10. Next Steps: Am I ready to be a mentor to a solopreneur?

Afterword

Appendix: Resources to Support Your Mentorship

Products and Services

Join Me Online

For Orders and Inquiries

Index

Endnotes

Editorial Reviews

This is a very clearly written book on an important and growing issue in business.Ginny says it how it is with her direct style of writing.The honesty is refreshing and the clear sense of ‘practical wisdom’ contained within these pages is inspiring.The vignettes are insightful, practical and grounded in a lived reality.This is a ‘must- read’ for anyone looking to work with the right mentor to sustain their business. Bob Garvey PhD, co-founder of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (UK).

The main reason start-ups fail is that the entrepreneur's efforts and energy go into growing the business, with none left for growing themselves. That's where a mentor comes in. This easily-accessible book provides a recipe for finding and using a mentor to best effect. David Clutterbuck, international mentoring, coaching, & leadership expert (UK).

Dr. McGowan provides a welcome guiding light to those who have an important message to share with the world.This book illustrates each step in your path from identifying your purpose and vision to creating a success path; it reveals the secret of success as a solopreneur: finding the right mentor and creating the right to be mentored. Follow the doctor's advice: Use the proven power of mentors to make money while pursuing your passion. Mark Champagne Ph.D., researcher, serial entrepreneur, author (USA).

This is a 'must have, must read' book for anyone thinking of becoming a solopreneur or who is already a solopreneur. The author recognizes the need for personal and professional mentoring. All too often, mentor programs focus on the professional growth of the mentee and fail to look at the personal side of the equation. This book clearly demonstrates the importance and significance of doing so. The author also recognizes that both the mentor and solopreneur will learn and grow together. This has become the differentiating factor when deciding on whether on not mentoring is the choice for each person. As a solopreneur wanting to continue your journey, this is the book that you must have. Can you afford not to? Doug Lawrence, President, TalentC^® People Services Inc. (Canada).

This book takes the fear out of being a solopreneur by providing a roadmap for what to do to have your questions answered and your future clarified by someone who’s 'been there and done that.' S. Paul Kearley, Pres., IBC Impact Business Communication, Inc. (Canada).

This book hits squarely at the heart of mentoring and its critical importance.As a guide to developing an effective, healthy mentoring relationship,Virginia’s book is an exceptional ’how to’ manual for the much-neglected solopreneur. Practical, accessible, and containing clear advice, it’s a must-read for anyone in business by themselves. Don Pontefract, author of Open to Think, The Purpose Effect, and Flat Army (Canada)

A much-needed book to fill the void in the business mentoring field for niche solopreneurs. This book is written in an engaging, energizing, and pragmatic way to make a busy solopreneur sit up and find themselves a mentor! The unique intertwining of personal and business planning support is handled beautifully. Virginia is also not afraid to tackle the tricky topics of evaluation and how to say goodbye, both more difficult topics outside of an organizational program. I recommend this practical and very readable guide to any solopreneur who wants to tap into the powerful support of a mentor. Lis Merrick, Managing Director, Coach Mentoring Ltd. (UK)

From the Publisher