You don't need a business yet to ask for a mentor

Since we opened BDL mentoring, the requests coming in have surprised us. We expected people with running businesses who were stuck on growth. Most of the requests come from people at the very start. Some have an idea they're still shaping. Some know they want to run a business but haven't chosen one yet. Many people wait until they've started before looking for advice, and that's often when the costly mistakes have already been made. They've spent money on the wrong thing, built something nobody asked for, or tried to do ten things at the same time. The early stage is when one honest conversation with someone experienced saves the most. A mentor can help you pick one thing to start with, test whether people will pay for it, and see what to leave for later. That's worth more before you spend your savings than after. So we've made BDL mentoring free, and open to people at every stage, including the idea stage. We're also careful about who we introduce you to. Every mentor is checked before they're approved: their work, their experience and who they are. When we find a mentor who fits what you need, we tell you about them first. Nothing goes ahead until you say yes.