Why Mentoring Matters More Than Most New Partners Realise
Published August 2026
When people consider starting a business, they often focus on the obvious things.
The product. The income opportunity. The training. The technology.
All of those things matter.
But in my experience, one factor is frequently underestimated:
Mentoring.
Knowledge Is Not the Same as Experience
Most information is available online today.
You can watch videos, attend webinars, read guides and study training materials.
That's valuable.
However, knowledge alone doesn't answer questions like:
- What should I do next?
- How do I handle this situation?
- Am I focusing on the right activities?
- Why isn't this working?
That's where experience becomes valuable.
Learning From Other People's Mistakes
One of the biggest advantages of having a mentor is that you don't have to make every mistake yourself.
You can benefit from lessons someone else has already learned.
Over the years, I've made plenty of mistakes.
I've started too slowly. Followed the wrong priorities. Spent time on activities that produced very little return.
Those lessons become valuable when helping someone else avoid the same traps.
Confidence Often Comes From Borrowing Certainty
Most people aren't short of ability.
They're short of certainty.
They wonder whether they're doing the right thing.
They worry about saying the wrong thing.
They question whether they're capable.
Having someone beside you who has already travelled the road can remove much of that uncertainty.
In many cases, confidence arrives after action, not before it.
The Fastest Route Is Rarely Alone
Whenever I look at people who achieve results quickly, I notice a pattern.
They tend to stay close to people who have already achieved what they want to achieve.
They ask questions.
They remain coachable.
They accept guidance.
They avoid trying to reinvent everything from scratch.
What Mentoring Looks Like in Practice
Good mentoring isn't about somebody barking orders.
It's about support.
It means helping someone:
- Create a plan
- Prioritise activities
- Avoid common mistakes
- Build confidence
- Stay accountable
Sometimes the biggest value comes from a simple conversation that prevents someone from giving up too soon.
Looking Back at My Own Journey
When I started, I didn't have today's compensation plan.
I didn't have today's systems.
And I certainly wasn't a natural business builder.
What helped was learning from people who had already achieved more than I had.
Looking back, those conversations were often more valuable than any training manual.
Final Thoughts
Most people assume success comes from having the right information.
Information is important.
But guidance is often what turns information into action.
That's why mentoring matters.
Not because mentors are perfect.
But because they've already travelled part of the journey and can help others move forward more quickly.