Mentors are Good; Peers are Better
I’ve always found it helpful to have good mentors. They are typically older than you, have more experience, and can offer you wisdom on your journey.
When starting a company, you need all the help you can get. Positioning yourself to have good mentors around you for the different stages of building your company is critical.
But while I think the guidance of mentors is invaluable, I think the inspiration that comes from likeminded peers is what can make the difference in a young entrepreneurs journey.
When we meet with mentors, we learn. When we speak with our peers, we’re inspired.
Peers are like us. They are our friends. They were at the happy hour or at poker night. And while mentors can do these things to, there is always a bit of separation.
A true evolution of a mentee, is when the mentor, becomes a peer.
That is the ultimate goal of mentorship. That the mentee becomes your peer. It becomes a true two way growth relationship.
In a peer relationship, we are working equals. Working with our peers is fun.
Surrounding yourself not just with good mentors, but good peers as well, is useful when thinking both about the help and inspiration you need to build your business.
You learn from mentors. You grow with peers.