Saturday, 26 November 2011

Things Nobody Told You About When Choosing A Financial Mentor

By Cameron Stein


Mentor (n): A wise or trusted advisor or guide.

Everyone has or has had a mentor in their lives. They could be our parents, friends, spouse, or partner in life or business. These gurus are there for us to answer questions, solve some of life's perplexing mysteries and show us the right path to take to meet our goals.

We never outgrow our need for a mentor this is true. What happens though is as we mature our mentors are required to take on different characteristics. We began life with someone to show us how to walk, talk, dress and behave. Later on, we turned to a mentor who could show us how to reach our career goals and then turn our earnings into a secure future for ourselves and our families. They led us along life's road to finally reach our goals and the life we wanted to live. They taught us how to achieve the financial goals and security we always imagined would be ours.

The World is Rife with Financial Mentors

Many times during the year I get together with fellow freelancers who have kissed the corporate world goodbye. It is a source of constant amazement to me that so many of these people now focus on helping others reach their goal of a secure financial future.

Here is the ultimate word. Financial advisors are now a dime a dozen. They lurk everywhere: On the internet, in the phone book, knocking on your door and even corner you on the street if you happen to be a slow walker.

All these folks will tell you that they are financial advisors. This doesn't make them good ones and certainly doesn't mean that they have the right experience behind them to help you out.

Want to know something else I've learned in my years of freelancing? Anyone can say they're a mentor. Or a consultant. Or whatever. Once upon a time, consultants had to have a solid background in their field before they could hang out a shingle. Thanks to the Internet, all they have to do these days is add the word consultant to the end of their name and boom! Instant consultant in a box.

Selecting the Financial Mentor that will do you Good

The guru advising the Fortune 500 CEO in the building next to yours may not be the right one for you. These consultants are so accustomed to dealing with the guys with the big bucks that their investment advice may fall flat with your paltry sums.

What you want to do is find a mentor who's willing, able, and yes, experienced with individuals in your situation, men and women who are just starting out and need a firm, guiding hand from someone who's been there. Who's done that. And who can offer more than just book theory on how to get from where you are to where you want to be.




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