Who Is Your “Unsuspecting” Mentor?
As my business develops, my experience grows and my needs change – I find myself looking for new insights, new information and new way to improve. I do however find myself often in one very simple predicament – Denial Of Authority.
You see, it is widely accepted that most effective way to master a skill, learn strategy or develop something new is to get yourself a Mentor! Mentor who can guide you through the murky waters of unknown to achieve your goals faster, more effectively and in short possible time frame. It will set you back financially at first but if your choice of mentor was correct – you can quickly recover it.
But it also implies that you trust that person unquestionably when it comes to certain matter of your business and willing to act As You Were Told. Not only because they know better but also because this is part of what you are paying for!
Which brings upfront my predicament – I simply can’t accept ANYTHING without questioning, analyzing and taking apart. My life has led me through multitude of experience and what I have learned “unquestionably” is that the only person I can trust without question is myself and same goes for any failure or success.
It is not the best place to be in but when you are pushing 40, it is not something that can be easily changed and I prefer not to make same mistakes twice, so I had to adopt!
I had to find a way to learn what I need while still maintaining my sanity and my personal views on life, on business and on many other things alone the way. It is not the easiest way to learn and if you have an opportunity to avoid it – I highly recommend it as it will definitely extend your road to success if not completely derail you!
My strategies are simple – I “stock” the people I chose to learn from to see what they are doing, attempt to understand why they are doing it and reverse engineer their process. Sometimes I just outright purchase what I need, if available in form of info product 
That is about as far as I go in taking shortcuts!
Not the simplest road, as you can imagine but one that fits my personality very well.
This week we celebrate Thanksgiving in US and the reason behind this post is simple:
I Want To Thank My “Unsuspecting” Mentors!
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Jimmy D. Brown for his HUGE contribution and influence on my email marketing education and introduction to the “ethical email marketing”. His email marketing membership, which I don’t think is available anymore was an eye opener for me and led me to my first successful campaign.
Mark Hendricks for his insights and ability to ask the questions that guided me to better understanding of what I’m doing and where I’m going and contributed to great improvements in my products. List building and continuation of learning concepts that Jimmy first introduced me to was direct result of Mark’s ongoing emails and participation in his 12 Days Of Christmas giveaways.
Jack Humphrey and his Authority Black Book is what turned me to blogging and I never looked back. Whether Jack likes it or not – I consider myself one of his students and will be forever grateful to him for introducing me to the world of blogging!
Ken McArthur for his HUGE heart and his ability to make you feel part of the success and a family! JV Alert Live is one of the few events I think every Internet entrepreneur must attend to experience the impact Ken and his friends can have on your life!
Michele Fortin and his copywriting tips are a never-ending inspiration for both my ongoing blogging, my efforts to improve conversions and also to some extend my email marketing. I’ve settled with idea that I will not become a “copywriter for hire” but it doesn’t stop me from working on improving my ongoing marketing efforts.
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Dr. Ron Capps and his strategies on social interaction and marketing had a big and profound impact on how I do things on social networks. I might not reach the skill shared by master but grateful for a chance to learn!
Brad Callen for his introduction of Search Engine Optimization to yours truly. Granted I have learned a lot more since the time I picked up his first eBook from StomperNet and a few other resources – his direct impact to my success was unquestionably most important – it gave me understanding of SEO!
Ken Evoy for really a multitude of the things I have learned from him but one, perhaps most important of them – allowing me to logically sort out all the knowledge I already had about web mastering and gain more details, I haven’t even thought of! While I have never personally purchased his Site Sell product, I have learned from eBooks I purchased and consider his services as some of the best that web has to offer!
Doug Champigny for his marketing insights and never-failing friendship! Doug is one of the people who not only knows what he is doing but also has ability to allow you to see what you are not doing and should be! Knowledge Doug has shared with me through our communications can never be calculated in monetary value and I’m thankful to have a friend and a mentor like Doug!
There are many more people who could be added to this list and I’m incredibly thankful to everyone I’ve met who shared something with me, taught me or just pushed me in the right direction – be it willingly or by accident but today I simply want to highlight those who had most profound impact on me and my Internet Success!
Thank You And Welcome To “Unsuspecting” Mentor Club!
Do you have a story to share? Someone to be thankful to?
Share it with us!
Let’s highlight those who deserve recognition!
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About The Blog Author
Alex Sysoef is an IT Consultant, Internet Marketer and ProBlogger who shares his passion and knowledge of WordPress, SEO, Social Media and traffic strategies on his blog WordPress Howto Spotter. Connect on Twitter or Facebook
17 Responses to “Who Is Your “Unsuspecting” Mentor?”
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RT @TheSpotter Who Is Your "Unsuspecting" Mentor? http://bit.ly/56mB2j
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RT @SuperAffil: RT @TheSpotter Who Is Your "Unsuspecting" Mentor? http://bit.ly/56mB2j
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Reading: Who Is Your "Unsuspecting" Mentor? http://www.howtospoter.com/money-making/internet-marketing/who-is-your-unsuspecting-mentor
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A humble thanks to Alex Sysoef @thespotter for my inclusion as an unsuspecting mentor http://ping.fm/jsihd
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Thanks to @TheSpotter (Alex) for his blog post: Who Is YOUR 'Unsuspecting' Mentor? http://bit.ly/5H1eM7
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RT @SuperAffil: Thanks to @TheSpotter (Alex) for his blog post: Who Is YOUR 'Unsuspecting' Mentor? http://bit.ly/5H1eM7
Thanks so much, Alex – I’m humbled to be included in such a prestigious list! Truth be told, I think you and I have helped each other about equally, as you’re one of my main sources of help and inspiration for blogging – so in this case it’s ME who needs to thank YOU!
.-= Doug Champigny´s last blog ..Internet Super Stars Conference – Meet Teri & Doug Champigny Live In Orlando! =-.
I thank you for your generous comments and kindness, Alex.
I agree with the observations made by Doug.
Whenever I seek and added information about blogging and plugins, you are the first person that I turn to for insights.
Mentorship is a matter of trust and relies upon a student’s willingness to implement and follow through on advice and suggestions shared. Without that willingness and trust, mentors have little or no impact.
I too feel humbled and honored to be included with some of my own personal mentors.
May you and your tribe have a wonderful holiday season and reflect upon the many blessing that we all have to be thankful.
I found your blog via one of your “unsuspecting” mentors (Michel Fortin, who sent a Tweet about your post)…
What a GREAT idea, and I think your system can help eliminate one very big problem — one that I fell victim to.
I once paid $3,000 to a mentor, who shortly thereafter turned into a complete jerk, publicly “trashing” one of my friends and business associates. I promptly posted to my blog, telling the world what a _____ this guy was.
Needless to say, our next mentoring session was our last, and the jerk pulled out his Terms of Service to refuse me a refund. Before that, though, he tried to tell me that he knew what he was talking about (in terms of my friend’s actions) and that I needed to remove the negative post and blindly follow his instructions.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s this: When I choose a friend, I make superb choices, and if I stick with my friends at all times, it always — ALWAYS! — ends up well for me.
The post did not come down, I was out $3,000, and nobody has received a penny from me for one on one mentoring since then.
You have some good names in that list (I would choose 6 of them myself; now I’ll let all 10 wonder who the “Other 5″ are!), and now I know how I can get even more value out of their products.
Best regards,
Tom
.-= Tom Brownsword´s last blog ..Why It’s Not A Good Idea To Send Me Spam =-.
Thanks guys!
I appreciate you took the time to comment. Its been a crazy day today…
One of my mentors has already been the subject of a post on my blog, and I’m preparing another now. It’s refreshing to see others ‘giving credit where credit is due,’ too.
You are so right in accepting your state of mind, Mr. Sysoep. If it’s firmly entrenched at ‘…pushing 40′, the next 40 won’t change things at all. I’m just past 79 years old, so I guess I can speak with some authority, and I still feel just as you do.
Great List, and great idea for giving thanks to those that inspire us. Especially this week being your Thanksgiving week.
We all need people we can get inspiration from, and whom we can rely on to show us the way…. You Alex are one of those people to many as well (including me).
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
.-= Heather Masson´s last blog ..7 Pretty Cool Reason You Should join my Google Friend Connect Community =-.
We are indeed lot alike Alex, with on distinct difference, my mentors re not all that unsuspecting, they know all to well when I’m comin to get ‘em. lol
I’ll tell ya though, I would never pay cash outright for a mentor; how could I trust in them if they would say or do anything to get paid?
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Are You Thankful For Your Blogging Community? =-.
Thanks for sharing Dennis.
I disagree on paying though. If mentor is correctly chosen – his time is more then likely extremely short and as such worth paying for. Unless you have managed to establish a personal friendship with that person – the only really other option you have is to pay for the time he will take to share his knowledge and experience.
I guess it is in some way similar to hiring a consultant for a one time gig – you do what they say simply because you hired them KNOWING he is an expert in that filed and knows what he is talking about.
Very true, which is why I’ve never been too fond of the word “consultant” either; far too easy for them to be long gone before you realize they have no idea what they’re talking about. LOL
Jaded perhaps…
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Are You Thankful For Your Blogging Community? =-.
Twitter: volaer
says:
I love Ken Evoy and his SiteBuild It. I am the one maintaining the website of my client and we are using Site Build It and I can assure you that it is really great and it all has the tools. The downside however, it’s hard for you to access your cpanel since they designed it to be user friendly and almost everything is automated once you posted your content.
I also have read all his ebooks. But Alex, don’t you know that all of those ebooks are now free? All of them were really great and inspired me too.:)
And if I am going to make a list of my unsuspecting mentor, I will also put you in my top 3 list. You also have inspired me a lot in blogging. And I am really getting more and more visitors and readers even if my blog is a religious blog and even if I am not really a professional writer.:)
Thanks a lot!!!
.-= vince ´s last blog ..I Am The Life =-.
Thanks Vince!
I appreciate the inclusion and I do know his ebooks are free but when i have purchased them – they were not
So I did pay and can say that every penny was worth it!