Mentorship

Take it from me, having a mentor can change your working life. It is THE most valuable resource for you and can help you navigate many things and help you to not feel alone.

I think we hear the word ‘Mentor’ around a lot without really understanding who it is for and why it’s actually the best thing we can gain in our careers, at numerous junctures. Here I have outlined the ‘Who’ What & Why’ on mentorship, hope it helps.

DEFINITION:
The guidance provided by a mentor, especially an experienced person in a company or educational institution. It might seem like something only senior management have or need or that official mentors are only for the owner/founder types.

But the good news for everyone is that there are no rules - everyone can have one, and should.

WHAT?
A mentor is a buddy for you to learn from and to inspire and guide you. Someone who can share their experience and story & therefore potentially help you write your own. It can take place in a regular scheduled meeting, it can be an adhoc chat when you need guidance. It could be a zoom call once every 6 months or a coffee once a year- there are no rules. It is unpaid, because the mentor themselves gets a huge amount out of it. Everyone was starting out it their career once and everyone has faced a lot of challenges. The ultimate reward after years of hard work is to have someone say that they would like your advice & guidance, it’s a real boost.

WHO?
Often this would be someone from within your industry or an industry you want to get into. It could be someone you admire and have followed the career of. It should be someone you feel could have some advice for you or could understand your current position & potentially be a small part of you shaping your own path. Also, don’t be afraid to ask a competitor, so if you want to launch a drinks brand, reach out to someone else who has done that, you might be surprised how much they would love to support your journey.

WHY?
So many of you are very confused or even lost in the industry and don’t know where it can take you long term. Most people will have felt the same way at some point and have navigated that in their own way before - they will have made mistakes and grown from them, they can stop you doing similar. There is so much to learn from the journey of others. The value that a mentor can bring you when figuring out your own path by understanding more about theirs, is pure gold. I have had two mentors, so far, two wonderful women who helped me at pivotal and defining moments so far in my career. I just took the leap and messaged them so to see if they would mind and they were both very willing and I am super grateful for the time they gave me.

If you want any more advice on gaining a mentor or who to reach out to in your desired field within hospitality then let me know.