How to Leverage Mentor Relationships When Building a Healthcare Company
Healthcare entrepreneurship is incredibly difficult because of the obstacles which lay around every corner. While many founders may have startup experience, not all have experience in the healthcare industry. Given the nuances and complexities of healthcare, entrepreneurs need to bridge this knowledge and experience gap. One successful method we encourage is to enlist a mentor to provide the advice, direction, and guidance needed to navigate the path to a successful healthcare company.
Although you may know where you want to go as a healthcare startup founder, that doesn’t mean you know how to get there. Imagine yourself as a driver navigating your way to a new city. Without a map or GPS, you would get lost or, at the very least, take the long way to get to your destination. In healthcare entrepreneurship, mentors are the GPS that can navigate you to your destination.
The Ultimate Purpose of Mentorship
Mentors are shoulders on which you can stand to see what others cannot see. They are valuable resources who genuinely desire to share their experiences so founders and entrepreneurs can learn from their successes and failures to grow and improve.
While many founders and entrepreneurs see mentors as sources of inspiration, others only see them as people who can connect them to investors. Jumpstart Foundry Co-founder Marcus Whitney firmly believes that a mentor’s role is not to connect founders to investors; instead, the ultimate purpose of a mentorship relationship is to help founders improve and create themselves most pleasing way possible. In a mentorship relationship, you can access your mentor’s network, but that alone cannot replace the mentorship’s guidance, grooming, and learning opportunities.
Mentorship is not a transaction machine that gives you access to investors; it is a trusted relationship that grooms and prepares you to be a better version of yourself. When you are a better version of yourself, you and your healthcare business will be more attractive and successful.
—Marcus Whitney, Co-founder – Jumpstart Foundry.
How Healthcare Founders Can Leverage Mentor Relationships
Mentorship is a relationship between an experienced person and an individual where the mentor provides guidance and other helpful resources for the individual’s development. When building a healthcare company, founders can leverage mentorship relationships’ powerful impact to navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry. Here are three tips to help you get the most out of your mentor when building your healthcare company.
1. Let The Mentor Get to Know You
Say you attended a conference, a luncheon, or a meet-and-greet and exchanged contact information with a potential mentor. It is now time for the first meeting with your mentor so they can get to know you and what you do. Asking for an opportunity to meet up for lunch or coffee can be a great way to start.
It is your responsibility to introduce yourself further at your first meeting, describe what you do, what you are passionate about, and what you hope to accomplish. You can also share your success stories and accomplishments. This will create room for your mentor to get to know you, your abilities, and your interests. When your mentor gets to know you, he will have a clear understanding of what he can do to assist, guide, and nurture.
2. Communicate With Your Mentor
Mentorship is a relationship, and communication is essential to keeping the relationship alive. To establish and nurture a strong mentorship relationship, you will need to discuss your set long term goals with your mentor. This will give your mentor a clear understanding of what you are seeking to achieve and how best to position you to meet your goals.
In the course of the mentorship relationship, give your mentor feedback on how the relationship is going. Share how the relationship is impacting you with your mentor. Remember, communication is critical, and it is your responsibility to share your goals—needs, worries, and concerns with your mentor to get the most of the relationship.
3. Spend Time With Your Mentor
Mentorship is not a one-time classroom learning experience. It is a continuous relationship that needs your time and attention. For a successful mentorship experience, you will need to spend time with your mentor regularly. The more you spend time with your mentor, the more they get to know you. The more they get to know you, the more they can understand the challenges you face and how best to help navigate your path to success.
Grow Your Network – Join the JS Refinery
At Jumpstart, we believe in the power of networking and strength in numbers. Therefore, we are committed to providing impactful networking and mentorship opportunities for our founders and other entrepreneurs to connect with experienced mentors. They are ready and willing to help you navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry. These mentors are available only in the Jumpstart Refinery – an online networking community by Jumpstart Foundry for healthcare founders and entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and grow. Sign up today to build strong relationships and impactful relationships to help you develop your healthcare company.
Start Making Powerful Connections Today!
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