by Nathalie Lussier
In college I studied Software Engineering. I was one of 15 girls in our class of 100 students.
To say that there was a lack of female role models in my field and in my life is a huge understatement.
During my internships, I kept my eyes peeled for more senior women who might be able to take me under their wing and show me the ropes. Most of the time, it was the male bosses and mentors who offered helpful advice. I tried to adapt their thinking to my way of being but it didn’t always work out.
After graduating I took an unconventional path: I turned down a full time job offer as a developer on Wall Street so that I could start my own business, instead. I didn’t have a plan.
Digital Training: A New Way to Connect With Your Mentor
Just starting out as an entrepreneur, I was smart enough to pursue a good mentor. Without one, you just end up losing valuable time and money trying to reinvent the wheel.
There were several women entrepreneurs who were paving the way I wanted to pursue.
The problem: I didn’t always have the funds to hire my mentors as consultants.
I’ve found that most women encounter the same obstacles in their careers and businesses. We all like to think that our situations are unique and that we need totally different advice than the next ambitious woman… But in the end, we can learn a lot from each other.
Digital Training: An Irreplaceable Experience
There’s always the option to read a book or an article, but I’ve found online courses are more personal and intensely focused to really give you a leg up in your business since they offer:
- A more comprehensive learning experience – through a variety of audio, visual, and gamification tools, digital training
- Basic career skills like negotiation, decision making, and business acumen can be easily picked up from your mentor
- Specialized skill sets – from technical training like coding, all the way to marketing and PR step-by-step tutorials, and everything in between
- Personalized application – once you gain an understanding of the principle, you can easily apply a concept or strategy to your own personal situation.
Are You Underestimating Yourself?
Our choices for ongoing education are varied and becoming more affordable every day. You’ve got books, podcasts, websites, seminars, and now online learning platforms that allow you to track your progress and get accredited without leaving the comfort of your own home.
The flip side of this learning revolution is that anyone can become a teacher….especially you.
Every woman has something she can teach other people. Life’s experiences make us smarter, more capable, and resourceful, yet we underestimate how much this experience could benefit other women.
I’ve added a mentorship to other women business owners as part of my business offerings because it was exactly this type of training that gave me the tools I needed to build a successful business… a business that earned enough for my husband quit his six-figure job and join my company.
Don’t underestimate yourself: your specialized knowledge and experience could be turned into a profitable training program to help further people’s careers…
3 Things You Need to Become a Mentor
1 – Your Skill Set
If you’re an expert at closing real estate deals, building a social media brand, or growing organic kale… you’ve got a sellable skill set that others might be willing to pay for.
2 – Technology
There are two general types of technology platforms you can use to begin sharing your skill set with others:
- Already-created course platforms like Skillshare, or Udemy.
- Your own website, membership site, or blog
You can do your own research here to find out what fits your style, but the point is that there are existing communities and technical tools that you can leverage; you don’t need to reinvent the wheel!
3 – A Plan
You’re a woman and a business owner. You know how to plan for success.
Digital training courses are taking off, and for some women, e-courses are becoming a new source of revenue and even entire businesses that can change the way you see the world.
If you’re curious about launching yourself into this new digital training space, you’ll love this article all about what it takes to launch during this digital course revolution.
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Nathalie Lussier is an award-winning entrepreneur, international keynote speaker and creator of the Launch It and Profit training program. She helps tech-savvy freelancers and entrepreneurs earn more, and ramp up their technical skills in the process.
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2 Replies to “Mentoring Through Online Training Courses: A New Key to Success by @NathLussier”
AUDREY
On the money when you say that having a mentor keeps you from wasting time and money. You need someone who’s got your back, believes in you AND has walked those footsteps before. Wonderful article Natalie!
Sharon Koenig
Interesting and helpful article with a great message. Mentors are so important to have, and so are role models – it’s reassuring to know that both are becoming more and more common these days. Still, finding female role models in a specific niche can be challenging.
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