Over the years, I have asked for my fair share of help and advice from many businesspeople around the country. I would call these people mentors, even though most of them don’t even realize what they’ve done for me. These days, I am often on the other end of that conversation. When young entrepreneurs — whether the owners of electrical service companies or from other fields — come to me with questions, I always try to find time to meet with them or answer their questions via email because so many others have done that for me over the years.
Recently, a young man who was starting his own company came to my office for advice. I told him this story.
An old man and his grandson were walking down a country road. On each side were a line of fences that went on for miles and miles. As they walked, the boy got excited when he saw something on one of the fence posts. To his surprise, there sitting on the post was a turtle. He asked his grandfather how the turtle got on the fence post. With a grin the grandfather said, “I’m not sure, but I know one thing, he didn’t get there by himself.”
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Successful people rarely reach the top without help from others. My advice is, find people who are successful in your field, and seek their guidance. When you’re asking for advice from these experts, consider these five points:
1. Identify the experts — Seek out successful people who are having success in areas that you’re struggling in or have yet to tackle. I didn’t limit myself to just one mentor/expert. I wanted to find the best in each area that I struggled in. That meant I didn’t seek advice from the same person on multiple topics. I realize this isn’t always easy. In general, the successful people you know in your field live near you and compete against you. Therefore, I recommend finding a network or group to join. I made the decision to join a franchise. I think one of the most important benefits of a franchise is the network of owners we have at our disposal to ask questions and learn from.
2. Don’t impose on someone — When you approach an expert or mentor, make sure the time is right for them. Ask for their permission before firing off questions. If you’re at a conference, trade show, or convention, most people will gladly give you a couple minutes to ask a few questions. You can also be very strategic. When I first began attending our franchise conventions, I would develop a list of business owners, standout managers, or high-producing technicians that I wanted to speak with. Every day at lunch, I made sure I was sitting at a table with someone on my list. I did this for years and made some amazing contacts, resources, and lifelong friends.
3. Don’t waste their time — Listen more and talk less. They don’t need to hear your life story or every detail of your business plan. Have specific questions already prepared. After you ask your questions, be quiet and just listen. This is the payoff. Don’t miss a chance to hear the advice you’ve been waiting for because you feel the need to interrupt or look smart. There is no place for ego in this step. Practice humility.
4. Take notes — This lets the mentor know that you value his or her input. The other reason to take notes is because you may be excited and forget things. I was invited to visit the office of a highly successful businessman in our industry. He was very generous with his time, and even prepared a binder filled with all of his policies and procedures of the particular area I was inquiring about. In my excitement, I left his office without the binder and didn’t realize it until I was on the plane headed home. This was a huge failure on my part.
5. Offer something in return — Remember, these people are doing you a huge favor. They are giving you a gift! Offer to do something in return. John Maxwell, bestselling author and leadership expert, would write to influential leaders around the country and offer them a small amount of money for an hour of their time. When a leader responded, John Maxwell would plan his family vacation around the city of that meeting. I would say that was a very solid investment.
Hagan is a second-generation electrician. He owns and operates the Mister Sparky locations serving Northwest Arkansas, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa, Okla. He oversees a staff of 30, which includes electricians and technicians. He can be reached at [email protected].
