HOW TO FIND A MENTOR?

Garfield

I was listening to the 10 Steps to Open for Business as well as talking to some folks who say that I should get a mentor to help me with my startup idea.  I want to open a boutique store (clothing) but don`t know how to find someone.  No store around me would be open to me asking as you can imagine.  I`ve gotten teh suggestion to try SCORE but I`m wondering if anyone else has ideas?  I`d love to talk with store owners to get their advice on how to set up shop.  Thank you!

enlightDan

I struggle with this too, Garfield. It`s definitely all about networking. Your local Chamber of Commerce is a good place to get started, too. You`d be surprised how willing people are to help. While you might not get advice from your direct competitors, you could get some help from a clothing store owner who doesn`t sell to your target market or just someone that`s generally in retail.There`s tons of options but it`s a tough thing to accomplish. Like anything else in business, it takes time - and us entrepreneurs are always impatient . What I`m aiming to do is to focus my energies into two or three local networking groups. I think regular attendance and involvement is necessary to really get some good contacts in this way.

Garfield

Thanks for the suggestions!  I will definitely look into them.  Hopefully, I`ll find someone willing to lend a hand.

Lilyloohoo

Garfield:
Don`t know if you are still in need of assistance, but I`ve owned a women`s clothing boutique for almost 4 years, and I`d be happy to talk to you.  There`s a ton of things to know before you get into this business, and there`s really no one place to get the information. It`s really on the job training.  And mistakes are very costly.  Anyway, if you want to talk, let me know.
Lilyloohoo