Mentorship

Working with a mentor gives you a trusted sounding board when faced with challenging decisions as an entrepreneur. When I decided to close Fauxgerty, the first people I called were my mentors and am so grateful for their guidance. Here’s some tips for finding a mentor and why I think it’s an important relationship to cultivate.

Last week, I posted an article in Entrepreneur Magazine about my mentor, Lori Coulter, the founder of Summersalt. This flooded my DM’s about how I found a mentor, if they’re really necessary, and tips for creating that relationship. I knew I wanted to write a blog post on this because I believe in the benefits of mentorship and how having this trusted sounding board will be beneficial to your company. I believe in it so much that there is an entire chapter dedicated to mentorship in my book, Build Your Brand, releasing next month.

I have many people I bounce ideas off of including team members, family members and colleagues. But, I have two trusted mentors: Lori Coulter and my dad. These are people who I share financial information with, challenging roadblocks, and were the first calls when I decided to close my company. At the end of Fauxgerty, having trusted resources who were impartial and free of judgement allowed me to come to that decision with peace and recognition that it really was the right choice.

Here’s an excerpt from Build Your Brand regarding mentorship:

When looking for a mentor, the most important element is trust. To truly be mentored, you need to be able to discuss your fears, financial insecurity and future goals. The ability to be vulnerable with a mentor will allow them to give you sound advice based on an accurate portrayal of your business, rather than the image we present to the world. People who have made strides in their industry generally enjoy helping future leaders navigate their way. When you strike this synergy, the mentee is learning and the mentor is engaging with a new face in their industry and a fresh perspective.

In 2018, I moderated a panel during Nashville Fashion Week with Rachel Zeilic (pictured above), Associate Vice-President and Talent of Clique Media Group, as a guest. We started talking about mentors and she offered advice I took in when building my own mentor network. She said to never ask people who are overbooked a favor. While most people want to offer their advice, time is their biggest asset and they can’t give it away to everyone who asks for a coffee meeting. My mentoring with Lori Coulter happened completely on her schedule, over a thirty minute lunch next to her office (including the walk to the restaurant) and during her commute after investor meetings. I fit into her schedule, took the first available time slot she had, never cancelled or rescheduled, and kept my questions concise and efficient. I was always aware she was doing me a favor and respected that.

In addition to Lori, my dad is also my mentor. He is the mentor I call on more regularly to share the daily struggles that come with running a brand. My dad is a successful entrepreneur, but he has had challenges in his journey and failed along the way, which is why I value his opinion. He is a true entrepreneur, the kind that will always be in the game, no matter how many times he has failed. This unwavering commitment to his vocation gives me peace that I, too, can withstand the uncertainty in entrepreneurship and take in the lessons and growth along the way. A mentor doesn’t always need to be someone who seems far away, it can be a close relationship with someone you respect, trust and can confide in.

Tips For Landing A Mentor

-Don’t just ask for them to be your mentor: As Rachel said, don’t just ask for a favor. Instead of just asking for their mentorship, offer something in exchange. Exchange helping with pack-and-ship for a monthly coffee meeting or share secrets to your company when meeting. When I met Lori Coulter for the first time, I shared everything about my factory with her and ended up taking a meeting with her team when they were brainstorming a product launch. I also offered to work at Summersalt for free, while I was running my own team, just to land the mentorship.

-Set a communication plan: It’s imperative to fit into their schedule. When I first asked Lori to be my mentor, she said she didn’t have time for lunch meetings. So, we settled on phone calls when needed and access via email. This worked great for me, since she is a quick replier and we only got on the phone when working through a larger decision. When you first meet, I suggest pinning down how often you will reach out, the method for communicating and the specific talking points you plan to focus on. Then, stay within these parameters.
-Find a mentor who is succeeding where you want to be: I live in Saint Louis, which isn’t your first thought when you think of a prospering fashion city. But, I found the most successful person in fashion in the city and made her my mentor. Regardless of the size of your town, find the person who most embodies where you want to be, and begin finding a way to connect.

(Pictured with Rachel Zeilic, Fern Mallis and Mary Lawless Lee when I moderated a panel during Nashville Fashion Week, 2018)