Entrepreneurs walk a fine line. On one side, being your own boss can be exhilarating and empowering. On the other hand, though, the amount of freedom can become terrifying. A new entrepreneur often lacks the lived experience and knowledge required to stay on the right track. Someone building their brand or business might often encounter a never-ending pattern of missed opportunities, poor judgment, and mistakes that can end up leaving them disillusioned along the way. This is definitely true when you are starting out on your own without guidance.
It can be extremely beneficial to have a mentor to guide you if you are just starting out building your brand. Someone who already has a long experience of lessons learned from their own mistakes can bring a fresh perspective and different ideas to the table which can be extremely beneficial, and sometimes life-changing.
While success might come much faster with a mentor, finding the right person to guide you might be harder than it sounds. New entrepreneurs often lack a professional network or the connections that could lead them to finding someone who is willing to sacrifice their own time to guide them along their journey. This is indeed ironic, seeing as new entrepreneurs are the ones most needing a helping hand.
Fortunately for us, however, we live in the modern age of the internet. Information and communication is instantly accessible. There are an ever-growing number of business and marketing gurus with an online presence offering their advice to anyone who has an internet connection and a desire to learn.
With the endless amount of information available on the internet and through social media platforms, though, it might be wind up lost in all the noise and different perspectives, views, and philosophies. Therefore, it might be more helpful to just pay attention to a few trusted thought leaders.
Some thought leaders have reputations and followings that speak for themselves. Tai Lopez, for example, has amassed a large following of fans and followers throughout the years. Tai's online presence is huge, with a popular YouTube account, podcast called "The Tai Lopez Show", and online program called "The 67 Steps".
Lopez had a rough childhood and left university before finding his own path to success, becoming a millionaire by the age of 30. He lives towards a balance of what he defines as the four pillars of what creates "The Good Life" - health, wealth, love, and happiness. Tai believes that when these pillars are balanced, it will lead to success and a self-actualizing life.
One of the most important things for online mentors is the ability to boil down complex philosophies and ideologies into easy-to-digest concepts. While personal mentors have the time to sit with their followers and dive deep into their views, modern mentors with online communities must quickly convey their personal views. Lopez, for example, uses "VIRN", an acronym for being valuable, inimitable, rare, and non-substitutable. Others prefer to have a more interactive view. Some, like Gary Vaynerchuk, are active on digital media, offering Q&A's online, or hosting their own online documentaries.
Lopez likes to turn one of his most closely held beliefs into a positive for others. His habit of reading a book a day has been parlayed into his podcast where he will break down the lessons learned and how to apply them. He claims this is a large part of self-actualization. Through this, he has created one of the world's largest book clubs, inspiring his viewership towards the endless pursuit of knowledge.
For many online mentors, the goals are broader than specific business success. Some push for self-actualization and advancement, while others provide more concise objectives. Lopez's quest to gain knowledge and a happy, successful life has influenced many viewers. He claims that his achievements in life and business are because of his faithfulness to his own philosophy. For Tai, a self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur and brand builder with a huge international audience, the proof is self evident.
Being an entrepreneur is hard. While many see it as a great escape, the reality is many times much harsher. Following a seasoned guru or entrepreneurial guide online through social media might prove beneficial to someone building their brand from scratch. Listening to the experience and guidance of a proven expert might bring some clarity and perspective when building your own brand as an entrepreneur.