Why did you decide to become a mentor?
I'm at a point in my career where I believe I have enough experience to share it with people. Also, I really wish I had a mentor in my life when i was younger and made a lot of mistakes - I hope I can be that someone for people out there, or simply give already successful people advice on how to improve their businesses. For a long time I have been working as a consultant on the side, and mentorship feel like a great, natural extention of it.
How did you get your career start?
I initially graduated from Medicinal Chemistry and worked in a lab for a while. I did not like it AT ALL - it sounded cool to people, but deep inside I knew this wasn't the life I wanted. I took a risk and started working at various companies gradually learning more and more about sales and marketing. Many years later I took another big risk and quit a high paying job in San Francisco to start my own, competitive agency. All those risks paid off.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
I've had an interesting mix so far. Many are already doing well and simply need a consultant to discuss sales and marketing improvements with me. Others need life coaching, and need someone to brainstorm how to get a on a path that will make them happier and more productive. The structure is very different in each case. I'm not a certified coach, so I do not follow any traditional frameworks that you might find everywhere else. Each case is unique!
What's been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
I've had a few cases that almost immediately started implemented changes in their businesses/careers and while they still have a long way to go, they are on a much better path now, building up their success every day! It's very rewarding to see months later that things are really progressing for those people and they do not necessarily need me anymore. I have also led others to the right sources of inspiration and information that they need - I think that is very important as not everything can (nor should) come directly from me.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
Personal satisfaction! If anything, it made me realize that it's something I would like to keep doing for a long time, and that I would like to get better at it over time. I'm still new to this, and I hope to consistently work on becoming a better and more interesting mentor over time. Since mentorship happens on 1:1 video calls, it also helps me organize my own thoughts into words and advice that are actually helpful, and are structured and clear. While I prep for my calls, I'd say 90% of what happens on them happens in the moment, meaning I have to think quick on my feets and can't come with pre-written answers. It's a good skill to have and a nice excercise.