Starting a business mentoring program isn’t something you jump into without some thought. If you’re running a business or leading a team, you’re probably juggling more than most people realise. Some days you’re pulled in so many directions that your plans and goals start slipping through the cracks. At this point, mentoring can significantly assist.

A business mentoring program provides structure to all the various components involved. It’s a way to get honest advice, improve focus, and follow through on the work that matters. But to get the most out of it, you need the right mindset going in. This means being clear about your goals, work style, and willingness to be accountable to yourself and others.

Before beginning, we always advise others to consider these key points.

Know What You Want to Work On

Before anything else, ask yourself what you really want to get out of mentoring. This isn’t just about talking through problems; it’s about putting energy into the right ones.

• Are you struggling to hit business targets because you jump from task to task without a plan?
• Do you need help with leadership because your team doesn’t move in sync with you?
• Are you missing deadlines because it’s hard to follow through once the pressure lifts?

Clarity is a wonderful place to begin. Being able to say “I need help with this” makes the mentoring process faster and more effective. The clearer you are, the easier it is to track progress, stay focused, and build momentum.

If your goals change along the way, that’s fine too. But having a starting point gives your mentor something to work with and shows that you’re serious. This helps both you and your mentor check in, adjust, and make sure you’re always working on what matters most.

Be Honest About How You Work

Everyone has habits that get in the way. Some of us hold off making decisions too long. Others overthink, say yes to too many things, or second-guess every move. It’s easy to push those things aside, but if you’re going to work with a mentor, honesty helps.

• How do you respond to feedback? Do you listen, or do you get defensive?
• When something feels uncomfortable, do you face it or avoid it?
• Can you admit when things haven’t gone as planned?

A successful mentoring relationship is built on trust, and that starts with owning your habits. When we’re honest about how we really work, flaws and all, the sessions go deeper, faster. Avoiding the truth only slows things down. The more clearly you can share your patterns and preferences, the more a mentor can work with you rather than against your natural style.

If you’ve always been blind to something, that’s when real growth can start. However, unless you express your thoughts openly, nothing will change. Some find this hard at first, but it gets easier as you see the benefits of being open.

Make Time to Take It Seriously

Mentoring isn’t just another calendar appointment. It requires more than a quick check-in or occasional pep talk. It takes effort, which means you’ll need time set aside to give it proper attention.

• You’ll probably get tasks or goals to work on between sessions.
• You’ll be expected to reflect and check progress, honestly.
• You’ll need headspace to think, not just rush between meetings.

If everything already feels rushed and reactive, mentoring won’t fit unless you make the room. Time is the number one reason we see people fall behind in programs. The program helps, but reflection and action get pushed aside.

You don’t need to overhaul your week. Just carve out space where mentoring isn’t squeezed between five other things. Steady time builds stable change. Even creating a regular time in your diary for mentoring conversations, or follow-ups, can make a huge difference in how much you get out of the process.

Be Ready to Change Old Habits

The toughest part of mentoring isn’t knowing what to do. It’s being willing to work differently.

• Letting go of old routines that don’t actually help
• Stopping the cycle of “I’ll get to that later”
• Replacing excuses with small, real progress

If you tend to overcommit, cancel on yourself, or slip out of structure, then this part’s important. Change only sticks when you create space to practice and when someone holds you to it.

Mentoring works best when you treat it like a mirror. You won’t always like what it shows, but the more you accept it, the faster things shift. Some weeks will feel messy. Some will feel strong. But every small move starts adding up if you let it. What really counts is your willingness to do things differently, even when it feels a bit uncomfortable or new.

Choose Someone Who Will Hold You to It

Once you know what you’re looking for, the next piece is choosing the right person to guide you through it. Not everyone needs the same thing, but there’s a common thread: you want someone who’ll hold you to your word, but with purpose.

• Look for a mentor who challenges you, not just cheers you on
• Make sure there’s structure, not just ideas
• You should feel safe being honest, but not comfortable staying stuck

A strong business mentoring program helps carry you forward. You’re still doing the work, but someone’s walking besides you making sure you stick to the path.

Darren Finkelstein, founder of Tick Those Boxes and The Accountability Guy®, brings over 30 years of real-world business experience and has run more than 4000 coaching and mentoring sessions with leaders and business owners. Tick Those Boxes business mentoring programs use a proven structure of clarity-setting, regular check-ins, and practical progress reviews focused entirely on accountability and result-driven growth.

Self-awareness requires someone to ask each week, “Did you follow through?” That’s where real accountability comes in. With the right mentor, you get that extra nudge to keep your word to yourself, not just your mentor.

Why Starting Strong Matters

The way we begin often shapes what comes next. If we come in with vague goals, half-commitments, or rushed intentions, the mentoring can only go so far. But when we slow down, get clear, and decide to show up fully, the whole experience changes.

Beginning with a clear focus enables your mentor to assist you more effectively. It gives the process shape. It gives you direction. The stronger you start, the easier it is to build pace and confidence. That initial clarity pays off in your work and business over time.

Tick Those Boxes specialises in helping individuals and organisations become more accountable. Contact us to learn how our programmes can help you create a more effective and accountable workplace, where you and your teams do what you say you’ll do.

Are you prepared to achieve significant progress and sharpen your focus on your business objectives? Our business mentoring program aims to instill clarity, structure, and accountability in your workplace. At Tick Those Boxes, we’re passionate about building long-term partnerships that drive results, keep you on track and ensure you follow through on what matters most. Get in touch with our team today to see how our programs can help you and your teams achieve what you set out to accomplish.