Who is telling you to find a mentor???

Question

I see dozens of these posts every day. Someone wants to get started and they are asking for mentors. Who is telling you to do that? Did you read it in a book? Was it a YouTube video? A post you read on BiggerPockets?

If you have ever asked for a mentor, please tell me where you got that idea. I am very, very curious to know who is giving this advice.

Bryce Jamison · Answer

There's a section in chapter 3 of How to Invest in Real Estate by Josh Dorkin and Brandon Turner about getting a mentor. David and Rob also advocate for it on the BP podcast. I hear a lot of guest on the BP family of podcast talk about how they have a mentor. Even if they're not overtly saying "get a mentor" it can sometimes feel like it's implied you should get one.

While I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other if a mentor is required, I am a big advocate of trying a different approach to get one rather than outright asking for one in the forums. I advise people to attend meetups, genuinely get to know people, and try to help them out where they can. If they have a positive, friendly attitude, and want to help others will naturally flock to them and want them to succeed.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

@Abel Curiel it must be pretty common because so many ask for it. I assume it's probably in some of the more popular books sold by BP.

@Bryce Jamison I suspected it came form a book. I always advise people to network, build relationships, prove they are in it for the long haul, find ways to provide value, and then they can look for a mentor.

I listen to the podcast now and then and I hear David very clearly saying that he will never mentor anyone because they are usually time-sucks that just want him to do all the work. I don't recall ever hearing him recommend a mentor, but I probably only hear 10% of all podcasts.

@Scott Mac Exactly. No specifics. They don't say anything about where they are or where they want to go. They just want a mentor. I always tell them to focus on self-education, network, and build relationships.

@Justin Hammerle I agree. The funniest thing is when someone contacts me privately and asks me to mentor them. They don't know me from Adam. If I were a bad guy, I could probably talk a few of them out of some serious money. Shame.

Justin Hammerle · Answer

@Nathan Gesner - I've also noticed this quite a bit; it seems most of the time the posts generally go unanswered.  I don't think mentorship should be requested but rather earned while pursuing whatever is you are looking to do.

Abel Curiel · Answer

Hello @Nathan Gesner,

Fortune builders was pushing this idea a couple of years back. Haven't heard about them since but it seems there are a bunch of similar communities/platforms recommending the same to aspiring investors.

I see many of these posts and receive a few inquiries each week where folks are requesting mentorship. Some admit that the idea of seeking mentorship comes from watching a YT video or attending a local REI seminar.

Russell Brazil · Answer

Who is telling you to find a mentor? Seinfeld

Scott Mac · Answer

I see these posts too.

Always just a "Mentor", not someone to Mentor the person in flipping, wholesale, buy and hold, commercial, land, etc....

Just luck of the draw.

And never does the person say they have 10,000 cash to invest, or $500,000 cash to invest...just I need a mentor.

The mentors I have seen charge a (pile-O-cash) for their services, and those Mentee's who have been successful seem to have had enough net worth, credit and cash to invest the way the mentor specializes in.

What I think they want is to be taught in person verbally and to be given "Investment Advice".

I have had readers contact me and ask me to mentor them...(just mentor--no details as to in what)...I don't do that...and I don't give investment advice either.

I think for a lot of people making friends with 5 or 6 people locally who are in this business would open a new horizon of knowledge to them. Friends who are doing what they think is their preferred way in this business, commercial, flipping, land, etc...

And that can be business friends, or personal friends...however the situation works out.

Just my 2 Cents.

Who is telling you to find a mentor???

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