Linda Nottingham: #1 mentor! Photo Courtesy of Agnes Lopez Photography

The keys to making your business successful?  Passion, perseverance, vision… these are a few big ones. Another: having a mentor.

When starting my business several years ago I kept noticing “mentor” listed as a must-have. And I can now say that having one is something I have experienced as a must-have.

Why have a mentor?

Learning – at any stage of business – is crucial. A mentor who is willing to share his or her experience can be invaluable with this {very steep – at least for me} learning curve. Leo Babauta {you could say Leo is a “far-away” mentor of mine!} mentions in his post entitled, Simple, Ridiculously Useful Guide to Earning a Living from Your Passion, soak up as much as you can:  “Read up on it, from blogs to magazine articles online to books to ebooks. Look for the free stuff first. Don’t use this as an excuse to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars. Most of the important stuff is available for free. Find a mentor, talk to others doing it, ask questions. Go on forums and ask questions there — from experienced people. Find others who are doing it well and study them closely.”

Can you run a business without one?

Sure. But it’s a lot easier when you have someone to look up to. I equate it to {on a much smaller scale} my baking disaster last year. I’d always wanted to make iced decorative sugar cookies and decided to give it a try over the holidays last year. This was my experience BEFORE learning some inside tricks {kind of like running a business WITHOUT a mentor}:

Making iced sugar cookies BEFORE learning some very helpful tips: a sticky mess

 Where to find a mentor?

There are incredible resources available to businesses of all stages. A favorite of mine: the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center {JWBC}. {I just can’t say enough about the programs offered, the people who selflessly share their time and energy, the companies that enable these programs to exist and the other amazing business owners I’ve met through my involvement.} Also, the Small Business Development Center, Chamber of Commerce, the list goes on. For other ways to find a mentor, check out this article from Inc.com: 7 Tips for Finding a Great Mentor.

This post is dedicated to my mentor extraordinaire…

I’ve been fortunate to have many who have played a mentoring role of some form or another throughout my {business AND life} journey. Without a doubt, my biggest supporter, confidante, wisdom-sharer, inspirer {the list goes on…} in business has been Linda Nottingham. {Last week, she was honored as one of Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women of Influence for 2011 – Go Linda!} And, I’m not alone in my admiration {and adoration!} of Linda. Check out what some other amazing women {of whom I also look up to} say:

Others who have been impacted by Linda – here are just a few…

“Linda is an amazing person. She is great at business, a caring friend and very generous with her time and knowledge. If Linda doesn’t know the answer to your question, she will research it until she does. And she is quick to pass along bits of information which she thinks may be helpful to you. I am not alone in my appreciation for having her support for my business, and it is great to see her receiving such recognition in the community.”

Jennifer Marko, President, Bottle Snugglers

“Linda personifies the word “Mentor”.  She is a trusted counselor, teacher, and leader with a wealth and breadth of experience.  Most uniquely, Linda has an ability to quickly identify the salient business issue and then help guide the mentee to a find a solution in a way that is reflective of their individual personal business style and personality.  This makes her a perfect facilitator for women, because she blends together these two aspects seamlessly and helps one find a path that is consistent with them as an individual AND as a businessperson.  To top it off, she’s got a wicked sense of humor, and working with her is just plain fun!  She’s most deserving of this award, and I’m grateful to know her.”

Patti Peeples, RPh, PhD, President / Founder, HealthEconomics.Com

“Linda is so smart – she only makes a mistake one time! The rest of us have to learn over and over – until we get it right.”

Robin M. Wahby, Managing Partner, New York Life

“As my BAC advisor for several years now, Linda Nottingham has supported me with exceptional and relevant business advice, heart-felt  and empathetic encouragement, and ‘I’ve been in your shoes’ wisdom. I cannot image my world without Linda in it. She is more than just a business mentor: she is my friend.”

Janet Herrick, CEO/President, Onsite Environmental Consulting, LLC

“Linda has been very inspiring to me. I love all the knowledge she has and her unpretentious manner about her. She is so respectful of all, no matter who or what kind of business they may have or dream of, never putting any idea or person down, even though she, I feel, is WAY above us in achievements and possibly on another plane of professionals. It’s so nice to know she is there to support us and will take the time any time to talk to us if we need guidance. Linda always knows what is happening with us and sometimes reminds us and reels us in as to what direction we had been headed for a month or two prior, helping us go forward in the right direction. I feel privileged that she has taken her precious time to share with us because I know she could be doing something else very dynamic.  Thank you Linda, so very, very much!”

Joani Maskell, Swimming Safari Swim School

“Linda seems to have a “sixth sense” about the workings of the business world.  She is a perfect facilitator for our BAC group because she can cut through to the heart of an issue and look at it objectively.”

Jean Shimp, Shimp Sign & Design Inc.

“Linda is a true advocate for women business owners. Her encouragement and support has made a tremendous difference for me and my business. I feel lucky that I can turn to Linda with tough business questions.”

Kate Mesic, Esquire, Law Offices of Kate Mesic, PA

ANGELA HARRIS DESIGN helps home and small business owners bring more order to their surroundings and life. Please visit me at www.AngelaHarrisDesign.com for more info – and to receive my favorite way to organize my week {a free download}.

Thank you for reading!