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Mentoring a kid-preneur

 
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SilenceDogood

posts: 41

Nov 05, 2008 6:12 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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A 15 year old in the community has asked to be an unpaid apprentice in my business.

I am taking this as a request to be a mentor - and I am quite flattered.  The young man is bright and ambitious.

My problem:  I am so busy!

How can I be an effective mentor when I don`t really have the time?

SlowCookerMate

posts: 48

Nov 05, 2008 9:57 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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I am going to start by saying you have hit an emotional chord here. 
Don`t have time?  I don`t understand that.  Just let him shadow you.  That does not take any time at all.  Then progress to letting him do some small tasks.  If he does well, you may be able to give him more to do and that will take work off of you.  I do believe if he starts doing work, he should be paid.  Even if it is not much, he should get something.
 
Think about it -- You have an opportunity to guide and shape the life of a young person.  That is beyond flattery.  That is an honor.
 
I have a DD6 that I frequently include in what I am doing.  I never hesitate to explain things to her about my business.  I always keep things at her level and I always encourage her to ask questions about my business so when she has her own business she will be head and shoulders above her peers.


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http://www.slowcookermate.com
http://www.twitter.com/yslowcook
CraigL

posts: 9051

Nov 05, 2008 4:24 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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We have whole generations of kids growing up in a culture where nobody has time for anything. They raised themselves, basically, and today`s society is a reflection of that. 
TigerTaco

posts: 337

Nov 06, 2008 1:55 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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An apprentice is him learning your trade/business by working for experience by having duties and responsibilities in lieu of pay ... treat him like a wage slave, give the kid a chance to earn his way to bigger and better things by cutting him off a simple corner of your "busy work" and holding him to the fire of accountability.
 
Don`t buy into being a mentor because it means you`d be interested and active in his dreams and that`s not what`s needed ... let his parents do that.  All that`s needed from you is to give him a chance to try on your slippers and to let him know when he does something right or wrong ... chances are he`s going to rise to the challenge and make your busy working life better.


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Chris Miller, a simple taco maker:
The Tiger Taco home in the U.S.A.
Tiger Tacos in Australia
Tiger Tacos in the United Kingdom
URVA

posts: 16

Nov 06, 2008 2:16 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Chris,

I have to disagree to a point.  No it is not ones place to coddle and baby the mentee`s way to success.  But knowing their dreams and understanding their goals will help a mentor to better assign duties that will help the mentee achieve these goals.  It will also helps the mentor to know if the mentee is making progress or not. 

Yes, it is very beneficial for a business owner to get free help, but we have to remember that nothing in life is really free.  What good is it if the mentee is taught something that does not match his/her goals and they then give up on their dreams because they are given a false start.  Then we could end up with some of those given false starts believing that goals are impossible to attain and end up with low incomes and possibly living off society - in other words we end up paying for their services in the long run. 

A mentee is willing to volunteer their time to learn from us and help us perform our duties.  This frees up our time to volunteer teaching them, basically like stated above by SlowCookerMate:

"Just let him shadow you.  That does not take any time at all.  Then progress to letting him do some small tasks.  If he does well, you may be able to give him more to do and that will take work off of you.  I do believe if he starts doing work, he should be paid.  Even if it is not much, he should get something."

If you take interest in this person`s future from an employers standpoint versus a parents, I believe you will find wonderful rewards for yourself too.  This could end up being an experience that will help you to further grow as well.

Best of Luck (who knows, this kid might be our president one day - what satisfaction would that be)

Tricia 

http://www.qbs4u.com

URVA2008-11-6 14:18:58


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Your Friend and VA,
Tricia Kos, Owner
Quality Business Solutions, LLC
Your Virtual Assistant Destination
http://www.qbs4u.com
TigerTaco

posts: 337

Nov 06, 2008 3:02 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Tricia, I don`t agree with myself all that much either!
(I was being hard on the nuts to what he posted: a bright and ambitious boy asking to apprentice; and him being flattered and thinking it was to be a mentor ... a world of difference between the two requests; and the commitments required by both parties; that there is much benefit to both from every thing in between the two is a given
 
I think the kid is really sharp and knows he might have a chance to get what he wants by doing something to address a need for help from someone he respects vs. just asking for his own needs to be satisfied ... and as "DoGood" was sounding like it was going to be a total pass, I wanted to try and swing it back around in the hopes they`d give the kid a chance (and now I`ve blown it by having to come clean with my reverse psychology!~)


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Chris Miller, a simple taco maker:
The Tiger Taco home in the U.S.A.
Tiger Tacos in Australia
Tiger Tacos in the United Kingdom
URVA

posts: 16

Nov 06, 2008 8:48 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Chris,

So sorry for making you blow your cover.  Hopefully he will see the benefit and give it a try.  At least if it doesn`t work out, he will know and still learn from the experience.  He will at least be able to say he tried.

Have a great evening,

Tricia.



-------------------------

Your Friend and VA,
Tricia Kos, Owner
Quality Business Solutions, LLC
Your Virtual Assistant Destination
http://www.qbs4u.com
SilenceDogood

posts: 41

Nov 06, 2008 8:49 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Great responses all!

And no I never intended for it to be a total pass for this lad.

I was just looking for ideas to make it work well for both of us.

I am not too keen on just handing out busy work.  I tend to find ways to eliminate busy work.  The work I do is very technical and for him to get his "hands dirty" really would take a lot of time - and that is where his interests are.

And I would / will pay him.  I just need to figure out how to make it work without having to spend a lot of my time or one of my very few employees time training him.

And, by the way, I also have my own bright son to mentor and parent and father.

URVA

posts: 16

Nov 06, 2008 9:00 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Thank you for clearing that up because your original post did not infer this.  You stated:

"My problem:  I am so busy!

How can I be an effective mentor when I don`t really have the time?"

Which made it sound like - I am too busy to be bothered with this.  Your second post better explains what you are truly looking for - suggestions on how to go about mentoring this person.  Had your original post been geared more to this line of questioning, I am certain you would have received more helpful, positive responses.

If you could, please be a little more specific on the type of industry/work you are in and maybe we can better offer suggestions.

Your Friend and VA,

Tricia Kos, Owner

Quality Business Solutions, LLC

Your Virtual Assistant Destination

http://www.qbs4u.com



-------------------------

Your Friend and VA,
Tricia Kos, Owner
Quality Business Solutions, LLC
Your Virtual Assistant Destination
http://www.qbs4u.com
SilenceDogood

posts: 41

Nov 06, 2008 9:02 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Educational software - educational games and an online application that is used by public and private schools.

Sorry for the lack of clarity - I made the post in a hurry.

And... duh... I think the lightbulb just went on above my little brain:  The young man could be a product tester for me!  That would get his feet wet and be very useful!

SilenceDogood11/6/2008 9:07 PM
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