Who is your mentor?
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I think it's very powerful, but not always practical to find. By mentor, we're talking a winner, who are already a small minority, and most of them are too busy winning for mentoring people.
The cheap substitute it's just reading good biographies of the greatest of men.
The cheap substitute it's just reading good biographies of the greatest of men.
Prentzz
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Practically everything that you could ever want to know about running an affiliate site, ecommerce, SaaS, subscription box etc. is either written in detail on Builder Society or some other forum.
Most of the members on here are extremely giving with their time, especially if you don't ask stupid questions. Finding a mentor isn't difficult, it's probably harder for a mentor to find a mentee who will actually do what they are told and put in the world, the proof is in the Buso Bootcamp.
You almost certainly don't need a mentor.
The benefit of having a mentor is usually when you have unique and complicated problems that you need to discuss with somebody else. Presuming you're playing this internet game, you probably aren't going to run into problems that others haven't already answered on a forum until you're deep into the game. 0.02
edit: if you want someone to 'keep you on the right track' start a thread in the Laboratory section, people regularly check in and answer questions you might have when they see you are putting in effort.
Most of the members on here are extremely giving with their time, especially if you don't ask stupid questions. Finding a mentor isn't difficult, it's probably harder for a mentor to find a mentee who will actually do what they are told and put in the world, the proof is in the Buso Bootcamp.
You almost certainly don't need a mentor.
The benefit of having a mentor is usually when you have unique and complicated problems that you need to discuss with somebody else. Presuming you're playing this internet game, you probably aren't going to run into problems that others haven't already answered on a forum until you're deep into the game. 0.02
edit: if you want someone to 'keep you on the right track' start a thread in the Laboratory section, people regularly check in and answer questions you might have when they see you are putting in effort.
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I have a couple of mentors over the years. Some I've just fallen in with, others I've actively sought out. All of these guys have easily earnt in the 7 figure range or more.
However, my approach is very different to just having weekly/monthly phone conversations.
At one point in time I've either worked for them, or with them. The reason for this: people can tell you what to do, but to actually see how they do it is a completely different experience. You see things in how they work, and why they are successful that you otherwise wouldn't find out (they might not be aware of it).
This is in their day to day mindset, how they treat people, and what they are sticklers for (and what they let slide). For me, by immersing myself in what they do by working for them, or with them, I picked up habits and ways of being that I wouldn't have beforehand.
So how did I get these mentors? The first one was coincidence - I just wanted to work for a young company that was doing something interesting and different. However, all of the others I sought out in one way or the other.
But I didn't just email them and say, "hey can you be my mentor". Nope. I provided any value I can from the get go and this doesn't stop. Obviously, working for them is one way, but I would go above and beyond to provide them value. The key is providing value to them before asking anything. I try and help them any way I can.
Let me give you an example. There is one particular guy that is on my radar and I would love to learn directly from him in the future. He is a killer at social marketing, and I really love his approach (also helps that he earns 6 figures a month). He runs his own FB group, so I'm getting involved, and providing awesome value to his audience. I've gotten on his radar, and infact I'm now a Mod for the group.
He also does consulting etc, and I've sent some juicy clients his way.
I've asked the odd question here and there, but I come from a solutions perspective. Eg, here is my problem, the solution I'm thinking of implementing is X, is there anything I'm missing? And if he says, do A, B, C, I'm going to do it and report back with the results. - this shows I'm not just another dud that takes advice and does nothing.
It's about providing value, and building a relationship with these people. I'm good friends with all of my mentors. And even if we don't have a formal weekly arrangement, I'm still helping them, and asking the odd specific question or two. We also hang out every now and then socially when I'm in town.
Hope that helps
- My first one was the director of the company I worked for. He was a millionaire before he was 30. His current company is the most successful company online in his niche in Australia. He trained me from a content writer to the marketing manager over the space of a year.
- My second major mentor is a very successful online marketer, who recently sold one of his websites for multiple seven figures. I ended up partnering with him on the Locksmith website. I also worked for him to scale his other website which allowed him to sell it at a large sum.
- My current mentor is also extremely successful and mentored the two above.
However, my approach is very different to just having weekly/monthly phone conversations.
At one point in time I've either worked for them, or with them. The reason for this: people can tell you what to do, but to actually see how they do it is a completely different experience. You see things in how they work, and why they are successful that you otherwise wouldn't find out (they might not be aware of it).
This is in their day to day mindset, how they treat people, and what they are sticklers for (and what they let slide). For me, by immersing myself in what they do by working for them, or with them, I picked up habits and ways of being that I wouldn't have beforehand.
So how did I get these mentors? The first one was coincidence - I just wanted to work for a young company that was doing something interesting and different. However, all of the others I sought out in one way or the other.
But I didn't just email them and say, "hey can you be my mentor". Nope. I provided any value I can from the get go and this doesn't stop. Obviously, working for them is one way, but I would go above and beyond to provide them value. The key is providing value to them before asking anything. I try and help them any way I can.
Let me give you an example. There is one particular guy that is on my radar and I would love to learn directly from him in the future. He is a killer at social marketing, and I really love his approach (also helps that he earns 6 figures a month). He runs his own FB group, so I'm getting involved, and providing awesome value to his audience. I've gotten on his radar, and infact I'm now a Mod for the group.
He also does consulting etc, and I've sent some juicy clients his way.
I've asked the odd question here and there, but I come from a solutions perspective. Eg, here is my problem, the solution I'm thinking of implementing is X, is there anything I'm missing? And if he says, do A, B, C, I'm going to do it and report back with the results. - this shows I'm not just another dud that takes advice and does nothing.
It's about providing value, and building a relationship with these people. I'm good friends with all of my mentors. And even if we don't have a formal weekly arrangement, I'm still helping them, and asking the odd specific question or two. We also hang out every now and then socially when I'm in town.
Hope that helps
planBman
Her Firefall Refines Me
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Similar opinion as Prentzz,
BuSo is the Horn Ov Plenty...
(other horns or cornucopias appreciated)
ALAS...
This Community seems moar driven, engaged, focused...
and also with extremely generous Learning-Curve-Sparing
hints, blueprints and case studies...
I got some Counselors, and maybe,
just maybe, I will get mentoring from a long-player IMer.
Remember: if you ask for Mentoring, be prepared to Homework.
If found a Good Ol' Mentor/Mentoresse, prepare for becoming the mentee
who will actually do what they are told and put in the world.
You almost certainly don't need a mentor.
If two hands make a clap!
what sound would make a single hand?
BuSo is the Horn Ov Plenty...
(other horns or cornucopias appreciated)
ALAS...
This Community seems moar driven, engaged, focused...
and also with extremely generous Learning-Curve-Sparing
hints, blueprints and case studies...
I got some Counselors, and maybe,
just maybe, I will get mentoring from a long-player IMer.
Remember: if you ask for Mentoring, be prepared to Homework.
If found a Good Ol' Mentor/Mentoresse, prepare for becoming the mentee
who will actually do what they are told and put in the world.
You almost certainly don't need a mentor.
If two hands make a clap!
what sound would make a single hand?
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Never had one and never wanted on in all honesty. My theory was that theres so much crap pushed out in IM that its better to just test stuff and see what happens but after reading Concepts post I might keep my eyes peeled.
I feel that the only issue with continuously testing is that you might be doing the wrong stuff 95% of the time and that it can just take an observation from a more experienced person to guide you in the right direction or to make sure you are focussing your efforts on the right shit that will bring results. There are also so many variables involved that are outside of your control that you might be looking for signals in the wrong areas for proof of your testing being effective.
Personally, I think I know a lot about IM, but struggle to implement and apply that knowledge to my own business. Because, I read too much, have followed too many SEO gooroo's over the years, all with slightly different strategies and methods (as SEO evolved - and before Google even gave search volumes for keywords), writing a single article (or even ordering one) is tough for me. I just keep second-guessing or over analysing what I am doing (or should be doing) and often it is just easier to do nothing.
It would be nice to have a mentor who could look over my shoulder and confirm that what I am doing is right. Having that validation can be a massive confirmation boost. Having access to these people on YouTube can be inspiring but without that personal contact, I feel they are useless. I even thought of joining one of those SEO internships (No Hat Digital) just to be able to show them what I am doing and get their validation.
My free time is limited to work on my business and barking up the wrong tree all the time just makes it harder to start.
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@Tao, you have exactly what you're looking for here at BuSo. There's no need to cough up money to get behind a pay wall to get someone to look at your site. I'm sure you could PM some people here and they'd be happy to chop it up with you and talk about whatever, give you feed back. That's technically what every laboratory thread here is, but more on tactics than the site itself since we know not to expose our sites to the masses.
I'd be more than happy to look at your site and give you feedback, but I wouldn't dare to pretend to be your mentor or a guru. I'm sure there are others and we could even do it in a group in private messages. You could even show a few people and we could give feedback in a thread so everyone can learn from it, all without outting your project.
You can get validation here, but the best validation is the money that lands in your bank account and watching key performance indicators increase. All you have to do is test and not be afraid to do it. It's a part of the game you can't escape.
I'd be more than happy to look at your site and give you feedback, but I wouldn't dare to pretend to be your mentor or a guru. I'm sure there are others and we could even do it in a group in private messages. You could even show a few people and we could give feedback in a thread so everyone can learn from it, all without outting your project.
You can get validation here, but the best validation is the money that lands in your bank account and watching key performance indicators increase. All you have to do is test and not be afraid to do it. It's a part of the game you can't escape.
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Thanks for the kind words/offer and yes, I do agree, everything I need is here to progress and move forward. I would be happy to share my site and get some feedback - not sure how we could set it up though - but it would be an interesting experiment.
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Mentors are like gurus. They either want to sell you something, or feel good about their own success.
Learn from your competition.
Learn from your competition.
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Quick tip for anyone. None of my mentors "sell" mentoring. They were doing cool shit and I wanted to learn how they did it. My first one was a mortgage broking firm, the 2nd one online security, the third does whatever the hell he wants.
If someone puts themselves as a "guru", run.
But if someone is doing something cool, or absolutely killing it then contact them.
When I was a marketing manager I reached out to the CMO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) One of the big 5 banks. CBA was one of the first banks in Australia to really nail online marketing. When this CMO was there, they skyrocketed to the #1 bank in Aus. They were doing some really interesting, unique and innovative things at the time. Their marketing rocked.
So I contacted him. We had a quick skype chat and it helped me in my approach to marketing, innovation, and ways of thinking. It helped boost my 1st mentors company to where it is today. We are now FB friends haha. All from sending an email.
This dude wasn't a guru. He was just killing it in his field of expertise.
The main benefit of a mentor is they allow you to see your blind spots. When you do your own thing and use forums like this, you are limited by what you know, and what you know you don't know. You use resources like this to fill the gaps.
A mentor shines the light on what you didn't know you didn't know. (Read those two paragraphs again - it can be a bit of a mind fuck).
If someone puts themselves as a "guru", run.
But if someone is doing something cool, or absolutely killing it then contact them.
When I was a marketing manager I reached out to the CMO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) One of the big 5 banks. CBA was one of the first banks in Australia to really nail online marketing. When this CMO was there, they skyrocketed to the #1 bank in Aus. They were doing some really interesting, unique and innovative things at the time. Their marketing rocked.
So I contacted him. We had a quick skype chat and it helped me in my approach to marketing, innovation, and ways of thinking. It helped boost my 1st mentors company to where it is today. We are now FB friends haha. All from sending an email.
This dude wasn't a guru. He was just killing it in his field of expertise.
The main benefit of a mentor is they allow you to see your blind spots. When you do your own thing and use forums like this, you are limited by what you know, and what you know you don't know. You use resources like this to fill the gaps.
A mentor shines the light on what you didn't know you didn't know. (Read those two paragraphs again - it can be a bit of a mind fuck).
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Correction: Mentors are what gurus should be.
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Failing 95% (closer to 80% in reality) of the time is basically what I do, I feel failing is massively underrated in Entrepreneurship and Internet Marketing. I take that 5% that worked and try to build positive feedback loops on it and test more and repeat. I have used this two develop two different methods of SEO and I am happy with my current round of projects enough to look to scale it up come January.
I can't link on here but here is a copy and paste from a post I made on Reddit a week or so back, parts will be out of context/may not make sense without the rest of the Reddit thread...
"As it turns out 80% of my results came from around 20% of the sites I made. I made 9 sites total, I am classing 2 as winners, one will be profitable midway through next month, the other by early January if growth/RPM remain the way it is.
Within those two sites, Site two from the screenshot in one of my other replies in this *Reddit* thread. 80% of that particular sites results came from 20% of its pages as it was my largest site testing the most stuff on it.
Now say I only made a single site rather than nine I did. I have a much smaller chance of getting anything worthwhile or actionable from that one single site. I have a head cold right now so its a bit of a nightmare to do math but I'm thinking a 1 in 4.5 chance of the site succeeding. Thankfully I made nine and gathered a whole bunch of data to move forward with for my scaling phase. If things keep going the way they are the two winners would have paid for all of the sites that failed by Q1/Q2 next year depending on how hard RMP crashed after the holiday buying season."