Why Mentorship is Key to Starting a Business | My Studio 1928 Journey

Starting a business is a wild ride—exciting, terrifying, and full of ‘What the heck am I doing?’ moments. When I first set out to build Studio 1928, I quickly realized that having a cool idea wasn’t enough. I needed guidance, a game plan, and someone to tell me, ‘Hey, maybe don’t do that.’ That's where mentorship comes in.

Why Mentorship is a Game-Changer for Entrepreneurs

Let’s be real—starting a business without a mentor is like trying to cook a gourmet meal without a recipe. Sure, you might wing it and get something decent, but odds are, you’ll burn a few things along the way. A mentor is someone who’s already been there, done that, and can help you avoid the dumb mistakes that trip up so many entrepreneurs.

1. Learning from Real-World Experience

The best part of having a mentor? They’ve already done the hard stuff and can share the lessons they learned the hard way. Having someone be real and tell you ‘Yeah, I tried that. It was a disaster. Here’s what worked instead' is priceless.

2. Dodging Expensive Mistakes

Making mistakes in business can be really expensive. Mentors help you skip over the obvious traps—whether that’s wasting money on things you don’t need, hiring the wrong people, or spending six months on an idea that was never going to work in the first place.

3. Speeding Things Up with a Blueprint

Figuring everything out by yourself takes forever. Having a mentor means you get the shortcuts—not the ‘cheat codes’ that make everything easy, but the ones that help you move smarter and faster. You get a roadmap that actually works. Business mentorship benefits include having a step-by-step approach to launching, scaling, and sustaining a business.

Mentorship Isn’t a Magic Fix

Here’s the thing—having a mentor doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be successful. You still have to put in the work, make tough decisions, and take risks. But having someone to talk to that you know has been through it all makes a huge difference. They can guide you, but you’re the one driving the car.

How to Find a Business Mentor

Not all mentors are created equal, and you may even need to get different mentors for different stages in your journey. Here’s a few things to look for:

• Someone who knows their stuff (because bad advice is worse than no advice)

• Someone who gets my vision (not just any successful person, but someone who understands what I’m trying to build)

• Someone who actually wants to help (because if they’re just in it for themselves, that’s not a mentor—it’s a business deal)

For me, finding mentors who already knew how to find fund and fill event spaces was game-changer. They weren’t just throwing out generic business tips—they were giving me a road map and real insights that actually applied to Studio 1928.

The Bottom Line is

I can’t imagine trying to do this all alone. Business mentorship benefits go beyond just starting a business—it helps with long-term growth and sustainability. If you’re starting a business, find someone who’s been where you’re trying to going. Trust me—it’ll save you time, money, and a whole lot of stress.

If you’re on your own entrepreneurial journey, I’d love to hear about it!

Have you had a mentor, or are you looking for one? Let’s chat in the comments!

Business mentorship benefits