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Deirdre Campbell
Tartan PR
When Deirdre Campbell left her job at a Victoria public relations agency, she expected to move in with another agency in town. But her mentor, a long-time business associate, had other ideas.
"He said that instead of going right back into a similar situation, I should use this setback to recover and move to a higher level. He said this is the best time to take the chance and start my own business, because I could always go back to where I was before. He was right."
Thanks to her mentor's active support, Deirdre and a partner opened Tartan PR. They've carved out a niche in tourism public relations, and haven't looked back.
The challenge, she says, is to "choose someone who you feel strongly has something to teach you and won't let you off easy, someone who will say to you, 'I think you can do this, and I don't want to hear the whining. ' It's also really important to get someone who will challenge you, but not tell you what to do. My mentor was never pushy. He just puts an idea out there and I make the decision when I'm ready."
Campbell is a mentor herself these days, and takes her role seriously. But she says it's critical that people take charge of their own success. "I never mind taking time, but people need to call me, not wait for me to call them. I won't be thinking about them all the time, because I'm busy too."
"You really do feel that you don't want to let yourself down, or let your mentor down. But it's a very positive pressure, not negative."
If this is your first step into the business world, find a mentor. A mentor can provide invaluable advice, insights and encouragement along the way to help you make thoughtful choices. If you can, work alongside another business owner in the same industry to gain some experience.
Your mentor does not have to be in the same industry as you are, but she or he usually has more experience. Mentors can pass along valuable insights, making you think about things that might never have occurred to you. They can talk about the business-building process, industry trends, administration challenges, marketing strategies, what work is profitable – and what is not.
Don't confuse mentoring with free professional advice. For example, don't ask a marketing consultant to help you build your website. Instead ask them to give you tips about or what to look for when hiring someone to do that.
Don't be afraid to ask. You will be surprised by how many people are willing to help. Many mentors want to give back or make a contribution to their industry or community, or to help a person they respect.
The nature of owning your own business is that you're expected to know it all ... even if you don't. While you can't be an expert in everything, you should attempt to close gaps in your knowledge through a mentor, direct experience, or by taking some courses.
Brush up on subjects that are applicable to your industry and business so you can make informed decisions. You should also learn as much as you reasonably can about key challenges that most entrepreneurs face, particularly in three areas that are considered to be key success-makers or success-breakers:
Business Beyond the Box training and mentoring programs, www.bbtb.ca.
Industry Canada http://strategis.gc.ca links to mentoring resources:
Business Support/Managing for Business Success/Business Tools.
Training resources at e-BC, www.e-bc.ca.
Forum for Women Entrepreneurs in BC, www.fwe.ca, includes information on training, mentorship and networking resources.
Peer Resources mentoring, www.peer.ca, or call 1-800-567-3700
(595-3503 in Victoria). Website in French and English.
Canadian Youth Business Foundation mentoring programs and training links: www.cybf.ca, www.onlinementoring.ca.
Step Ahead: Women Business Owners Mentoring for Success, www.stepaheadonline.com.
Minerva Foundation, www.theminervafoundation.com or 604-683-7635.