Alana Muller:
Welcome to Enterprise.ing, a podcast from Enterprise Bank & Trust that's empowering business leaders one conversation at a time. Each week, we'll hear from top business professionals about lessons on leadership and entrepreneurship that they've learned along the way. I'm your host, Alana Muller, an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire, and empower community. We, at Enterprise Bank & Trust, thank you for tuning into another episode.
Hi, Enterprise listeners. Welcome back to another episode of Enterprise.ing Podcast. For those of you who are regular listeners, you know that from time to time I like to recall ideas and lessons learned from guests that we've had on the program in the past. Today, I want to touch on the topic of mentorship. A line of questioning in which I sometimes engage my guests is about the mentors that they've had in their lives. Essentially, it's the people who have made a marked difference in their lives, both personally and professionally.
For me, I can honestly say that I have been blessed with a variety of mentors. And over the years, I found that the most impactful mentor-mentee relationships have been those that developed organically. We weren't assigned to each other, but rather we grew to know and care for one another and have taken an interest in one another's lives holistically. In fact, there's a beautiful book, edited by my friend, Marcia McMullen, entitled “Because You Believed in Me: Contemporary Mentoring Stories.” Not to ruin the punchline, but the very last line of the book really stuck with me. It was written by American architect and graphic designer, Richard Saul Wurman. He says, "Having a disparate group of mentors gave me permission to find connections and be interested in everything." I love that quotation. And the notion of having a community of mentors was highlighted by Enterprise.ing guest, George Brooks, founder, and CEO of Crema, who had this to say.
George Brooks:
Oh, man, I have a bunch of mentors. There is people that I go to for lots of different reasons. Dan and I have always surrounded ourselves with advisors of different types.
Alana Muller:
In that clip, George is referring to Dan Linhart, his business partner and co-founder. What I especially loved was George's next line where he shares that one of his key mentors is in fact, Dan, his business partner. Take a listen. George Brooks: And then we advise each other too. I mean, I love having a good business partner that I completely trust, and yet we can challenge each other in good, healthy ways. So I think, at the most closest core, would be, we advise each other, my business partner and I. Which, people don't talk about that. You should be willing to view that as a paired mentorship in some way. We're both going to level each other up. He's the most intentional human being I've ever met. It's super annoying and awesome at the same time, and so I love that about him.
Alana Muller:
Continuing down that path, one, of thinking about having a group of disparate mentors as the architect Richard Saul Wurman referenced, and then also allowing for the closest people in our lives to serve as mentors, as is the case with George Brooks and Dan Linhart, I can't help but reflect on my own career. It's clear to me that I've been the beneficiary of care, support, advocacy, and guidance from a wide variety of mentors in my life. And my earliest mentors were and are my own parents, Charlene and Max Muller, who have always showered me with unconditional love, direction, and encouragement along with tons of life lessons.
Later mentors have included university academics, business executives from a wide range of industries, friends, professional colleagues, not-for-profit leaders, you name them. One thing about the best mentors is that they speak the truth, even when it's a little bit painful to hear. And I know without a doubt that it comes from a place of love and trust. That seems to be the case for many of our Enterprise.ing guests too. In fact, I'm recalling an Enterprise.ing podcast episode featuring Jeanetta Hawkins, founder, president, and CEO of Personal Touches by Jeanetta. Here's what Jeanetta had to say.
Jeanetta Hawkins:
Oh, I gravitate to mentors, absolutely I do. I have several. I have several women and then I have several men as well, mentors that I do…I can pick up the phone. But the other thing, if you're struggling in your business, you do want to pull on your mentors. But you want to…it's so much resource, so much information out here right now. I would just continue to educate myself and learn as much as I can learn. But you also want to have that person that you can cry on their shoulders when things get a little tough, a little rough, and just be ready to hear the truth. Because I've had friends that tell me to just be quiet, stop whining, and just move on. It's like, "Oh my God."
Alana Muller:
So thinking about the experiences with mentors shared by George and Jeanetta, my questions to you, listeners, are these. Who have been the mentors in your lives? What have you learned from them? In what ways have they shaped you? How would your life have been different without them? Have you, in turn, served as a mentor to others? I encourage you to take time to give the notion of mentoring some consideration. I encourage you to join me in embracing mentorship and allowing yourself to be shaped by mentors in your lives.
That's what I have for you today. Listeners, thank you for joining me for another episode of Enterprise.ing Podcast. Also be sure to check out George Brooks on Enterprise.ing episode number 65, entitled “The Joys and Challenges of Entrepreneurship,” and Jeanetta Hawkins, episode number 56, entitled “From Growing Pains to Career Gains.” You can find these episodes and more at enterprisebank.com/podcast. You can also find it at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. I look forward to connecting with you next time on Enterprise.ing Podcast.
Thanks for joining us this week on Enterprise.ing. Be sure to visit our website, enterprisebank.com/podcast to subscribe, so you'll never miss an episode. If you found value in today's program, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or telling a friend about us. Enterprise.ing, powering business leaders one conversation at a time.
The views expressed by Enterprise.ing presenters or guests are those of the presenter or guests and not necessarily of Enterprise Bank & Trust or its affiliates. All content of this podcast and any related materials are for informational purposes only. Enterprise Bank & Trust does not make any warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and specifically disclaims any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information presented. Enterprise Bank & Trust is not under any obligation to update or correct any information provided in this podcast. All statements and opinions are subject to change without notice.
