If you are a first-time founder or very new to the world of entrepreneurship, you may find the business world extremely challenging to navigate. In such cases, seeking the valuable guidance of a qualified business mentor can be helpful. While having help at hand is great, most mentees fail to make the most out of mentorship because they fail to ask the right questions.

Asking the right questions to your business mentor and implementing the advice can set you apart from your competitors. Here are ten questions to consider you are working with one:

1.     What is the best way to communicate?

Not all mentors are made equal. The communication style varies greatly, and knowing which mode works best for your mentor can save both of you precious time. Simply ask whether you should communicate via -phone, email, video calls, or meet in person.

2.     What are your failures?

No business owner can avoid failures forever. Successful mentors don’t shy away from sharing their failures — the goal of business mentorship is to help you learn from the mistakes of others who have done it before you.

3.     How to effectively manage time and prioritize?

As a business owner, you will always find yourself running short of time. A mentor can help you utilize your time efficiently, so you are not left scrambling for resources when faced with a crisis. Ask your mentor about various time management techniques you can use to stay productive.

4. How often can I  seek advice?

Mentoring cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach. Different mentors have different mentoring styles. It’s best to clarify the frequency of interaction right off the bat. You can ask your mentor if bi-weekly or fortnightly sessions can be scheduled. However, don’t hesitate to specify if you need more sessions, especially when handling any crisis.

5. What can I do to make the mentoring sessions more productive?

If you want mentoring to deliver the desired results, you need to put in the work. Ask your mentor what you can do to help them provide the correct guidance. You should also highlight any constraints that may impact the session — for instance, you may not be comfortable scheduling a session on weekends.

6. Are there any books I can read to make mentoring even more useful?

A mentoring session lasts only for a couple of minutes. But that doesn’t mean your learning has to stop right away. You can still continue to improve yourself through books by asking your mentor for book recommendations.

7. What is the one thing you struggle with?

Learning from the experiences of your mentor is an excellent way to grow, both professionally and personally. Asking your mentor about their biggest struggles or a pattern that they haven’t been able to overcome even after years can broaden your horizons.

8. What can I do better?

Don’t view mentoring as a helpline to solve your questions. Mentors are your guides who help you in becoming better at what you do. While it is not easy to handle criticism, make sure to ask hard questions such as “what are the areas where I can improve?”. This approach will ensure that you are more prepared to face any challenges.

9. How to disconnect?

Running your own business is challenging. It can get highly taxing, and that’s why downtime is very important. If you find it difficult to unwind from work, speaking to your business mentor is a good idea.

10. What you wish you had known when you started?

Since mentorship is all about learning from the experiences of someone who has already walked down the path, you can always ask your mentor about specific instances or lessons that they can share with you. Hindsight is 20/20, and business mentoring gives you the perfect opportunity to explore that.

Ready to start working with your business mentor?

Business mentoring is not a luxury — it is a necessity. If you are serious about achieving your business goals and succeed as an entrepreneur, you need a business mentor who can provide you tailored advice. While mentoring may seem confusing,  having a business growth consultant by your side can shorten the learning curve, and that’s where we step in.

Reach out to Jupiter Business Mentors to get in touch with our experienced business mentors. They can give you practical and actionable advice to help you perform better as a business owner. As business mentors for startups, we provide you with guidance that can accelerate your growth and take your business to the next level.

No matter which industry you specialize in, the mentors at Jupiter Business Mentors are always here to help you out. Our expertise lies in connecting experienced mentors to the start-up community and small & medium businesses.  We also help startups, existing mid-sized entrepreneurs, or companies connect with professionals who can provide specific guidance about growing your business. We have on board 35 mentors across industry verticals — you can get the benefit of business mentoring with just a few clicks.

Take a look at our website and pick and book a session with the right mentor for your needs. If you sign up today, you can also get 90 minutes of free sessions with any six mentors on the platform.