For me, it was mentorship. Or more accurately, the lack of it. When asked the question above by somebody close to me, my answer was mentorship a year ago and that it’s to expensive. But surprisingly mentorship doesn’t have to be expensive and can often be found in the most unexpected places. A mentor doesn’t have to be someone we officially call a mentor either. During my studies at TUM and LUM, I had official mentors—alumni of the universities—but I’ve also learned from many people who have simply wanted to give back, sharing their experiences and insights from building their own successful businesses. So sometimes it’s beneficial to be able to ask just the right person a question or several questions at the relevant time. It helps so much to make progress, and to stop the overthinking and procrastination, to enable action taking.
Whether it’s a costly mistake someone made, or the headspace and emotional toll that comes with navigating difficult decisions, mentors offer invaluable wisdom. Often, they just want to help others avoid similar pitfalls or give someone space to feel heard and understood.
Seeking mentorship is a skill in itself. It requires the courage to reach out, ask questions, and be okay with not having all the answers. As the saying goes, “standing on the shoulders of giants” applies not only to science and philosophy but also very much to business.
Then, of course, there’s the practical advice—mindset shifts that can shape your thinking for years to come. Learning what tools, frameworks, and strategies others have used and why can give you a much-needed perspective. And in business, perspective can be the unfair advantage that helps you leap ahead.
In a future post, I’ll dive deeper into where to find mentorship and why it’s more accessible than you might think, at every stage of your journey.