How to Create Successful Mentoring Experiences

Mentoring is an invaluable business opportunity IF you know how to go about it the right way with the right strategies. That’s what I discuss in this episode with my guest, Ed McDonough.

Ed is a seasoned marketing strategist, direct response copywriter, and the founder of ECE Marketing Services, based in New Bern, NC. He has authored four books on marketing strategy, including the Amazon Best Sellers 'Build and Monetize Your Email List' and 'Client Acquisition Marketing'.

Beyond helping businesses grow and prosper, Ed mentors aspiring copywriters, sharing his expertise to help them refine their skills and excel in the industry.

Ed believes mentoring is important because, like with trade apprenticeships, if somebody can guide you through the process of establishing your business it makes things a lot easier for you. In Ed’s life he had some great mentors and coaches as well. It’s because of what they taught him that enabled him to be successful in the business world.

Ed’s First Mentoring Experience

Ed was in corporate IT for 25 years. During that time, he was also a woodworking hobbyist and wanted to start a custom woodworking business in furniture and cabinets. A friend who had started businesses before became Ed’s earliest mentor. He took Ed under his wing, taught him how to create a business plan and how to strategize marketing. Ed contributes that to what made him a success so quickly. Before mentoring, Ed wasn’t thinking about a business plan, he was thinking about getting some business cards and printing up fliers like many other people in the industry. His mentor got Ed off that track and that’s what made Ed successful out of the blocks.

The Traits of a Successful Mentee

Ed naturally had certain skills that helped him be a successful mentee. He listened to exactly what his mentor said. Ed really trusted him because his mentor was someone that Ed respected. Initially, Ed didn’t ask him to be his mentor. He asked him for some advice; “I’m going to start a business can you tell me the top three things you think I should do?” Not only did he tell Ed the three things, he also coached Ed through the process of writing the business plan and putting together the marketing strategy. This helped Ed by making him think about things that he probably wouldn’t have thought of if he hadn’t talked to his mentor. Ed valued his mentor’s opinion so much it was easy to listen to what he said.

How to Choose Potential Mentors

In Ed’s case it was somebody he knew; they had worked together for a while and became friends through work. Ed knew how smart his soon-to-be mentor was about business; he got to see him in action everyday as he was Ed’s boss. Ed got to see how he worked with people and learned about his leadership style.

Ed believes that if you’re going to pick a mentor you want to interview them as well as have them interview you. You want to make sure that there’s synergy and naturally compatible energy there to know if it’s the right fit. The most important thing is that the mentor must be focused on helping the mentee reach the goal and the mentee has to be open to new ideas.

We also dive into topics such as:

• The qualities that make a good mentor.
• Advice about how to be a good mentee.
• How to ask quality questions as a mentor to get better results for your mentee.
• What NOT to do as a mentee.
• Pitfalls that mentors should be aware of and avoid.
• Why mentoring is so important in the business world.
• What a successful mentoring plan looks like.
• The most important aspect of mentoring relationships and how to embrace it.

…and more golden nuggets of advice!