Online Business Mentors

Photo courtesy of MRk. Cool
If you have a business, or are planning to start one, it’s often difficult to find a mentor who understands the dilemmas you may encounter.

Just as there may be numerous places to turn to within your own community, often business owners forget to look online for mentors.

The latest “craze” is to turn to blogs, which are web logs. Blogs differ from typical websites, in that they provide a comment section, where you can “have your say”, and also communicate directly with the author.

As a business owner, I try to utilize all sources. Many of my mentors have been in the same situation, and it is from them I gain expert advice.

When researching online mentors, I landed on a fabulous website/blog. The name of it is Catherine Lawson’s Business Advice Blog. Granted, Catherine is in the UK, but when it comes to business, we all face similar challenges.

What I like about Catherine’s blog, is that she teaches others, and willingly shares mistakes she made in business. Since she tells her readers how she corrected the problem, others can often apply her techniques to their situation, as well. Catherine likes to engage her readers, by encouraging them to comment, therefore, the comment section that follows each article, often has more enlightening ideas. By scouring through her past articles (archives), you’re likely to find an article (post), that may address your concern.

Never underestimate the power of a blog. Although you may have heard a blog is “just an online journal”, the authors of thousands of blogs are experts in their field, and freely share what they have learned, with anyone who cares to listen.

Search the internet. Chances are, you’ll find a blog author, who will gladly become your online business mentor.

Tags: blog, blogs, business advice, business mentors, business owner, gain expert advice, web logs

Posted in: Archives, At Work, For Entrepreneurs, Web Surfing

4 Responses to “Online Business Mentors”

CatherineL February 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 am

Hi Barbara – thank you so much for your kind comments about my blog.

I love blogs. For a start, you get to meet some great people from all over the world.

Also there is some great advice and info out there. Before the Internet, we had to rely on books to get info, and often, by the time they go into publication that information is out of date.

But, with a blog you get to read about what’s going on as soon as the author hits the publish button – which is cool.

Also, it’s changed advertising so much hasn’t it? You no longer need to rely on the glossy ads of the businesses when choosing to buy a product, or the word of a salesperson. Now, there are reviews and opinions everywhere.

And these big companies just can’t rip the little people off anymore – because they could tell the whole world on their blog. It has made things far more fair and equal hasn’t it?

I love the pic by the way. That is my next challenge – trying to get the text round the pic like you’ve done.

CatherineL’s last blog post..Will It Soar Or Suck? 6 Business Techniques That Make a Difference

Barbara February 3rd, 2008 at 2:12 am

Hello Catherine,

You are so welcome. You inspire me in business with your great articles and funny stories.

Yes, blogs are great, filled with so much information and written by some of the smartest people.

They are the wave of the future, for sure.

Barbara’s last blog post..Online Business Mentors

Rob Wilson September 13th, 2008 at 4:44 pm

One of the best things I ever did was start paying for a business coach and mentor. Never thought of using blogs as a source of mentoring … nice idea.

Rob Wilsons last blog post..Introduction to Search Engine Optimisation

Barbara Swafford October 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm

Hi Rob – Sometimes it does pay to hire a professional, doesn’t it?

Observation Mountain