Success often leaves behind clues, like a recipe missing just a few key ingredients that would make it complete. Now the secret is that most of these key ingredients are people. People who others have had the fortune of bumping into, who have guided them through the ups and downs that come with having a hustle, put them on the fast track to reaching their goals, and probably most important of them all, given them a 360-degree perspective of their life. If their view wasn’t great before, you can bet it got a whole lot better after meeting these special folks.

We’re not the types to just hope though. We pursue and create our own reality. So if we can’t find the right ingredients, we’re going to re-make the recipe. If you want to get to success, however you define it, there are 3 specific kinds of people and relationships you need in your life.

How to Become An Owner

The Mentor 

When you hit rough times, there are always going to be people who hold your hand, pat you on the back and ultimately, rock you back to sleep. What you actually need are people that give you a swift kick in the ass and help you get back on your feet so you can get back to work. Mentors are people who see your potential and are willing to push you to the next level. 

In the end, all you need is belief in yourself. Simple right? But sometimes it takes someone else to see that you have a lot to offer to the world in order for you to realize it yourself. We can all use a little help, but make sure it’s the help you need, not the help you want. The general rule of thumb is to find someone at least two career steps ahead of you. This way they’re not so close that they’re dealing with the same challenges as you, but they’re also not so high up that they’ve forgotten what it was like to be in your shoes. While these relationships take time to find, build and nurture. They’re also priceless.

The Equal

Sometimes it can feel like you’re staring out into a mass dog fight. It can make even putting a foot in seem intimidating. But before you back out, remember that competition can be a great way to learn and move faster than you ever thought you could. So keep an eye out for a certain type of competitor. These are the kinds of people who operate at roughly the same wavelengths as you and are either around your level or slightly higher. What they bring to the table is HEALTHY competition that keeps you on your toes and gives you the motivation to pick up the pace. They have their eyes on the goal and force you to do the same.

So go find other people who are hungry to succeed. If you’re in the game for the right reasons, these kinds of relationships will help you immensely. Plus, everything’s more fun when you have a partner in crime, amirite?

The Student 

Time to turn the tables. No matter how far along your journey you are, there is always someone who would benefit from hearing about your experiences and receiving some advice. Including you. Providing mentorship should be something everyone does at some point in their lives, for others but also for themselves. Here are just a few reasons why:

You never really learn something until you teach it to someone else. It’s just part of the process. If you want to be the best at what you do, you need to teach others how to do it. While it might be daunting at first, think of all the warm fuzzies you’ll get from taking someone under your wing.

Self-awareness is key. Mentoring someone forces you to look back at the past and understand why you think and act the way you do. In other words a perfect opportunity for deep self-reflection (which, let’s face it, are probably few and far between). If you don’t know where you are, it’s that much harder to pick which direction to go next. 

Building your future network—mentorship is a two-way street. As much as your mentee learns from you, you will learn from them. It’s also the kind of relationship that’s a long-term investment. By investing in the success of another person you are also strengthening the quality of your own network in the future. 

Looking back at our own journey these are all relationships we wished we had when we were first building our hustles. It’s part of the reason we started Unconventional Acquisitions because we realize the value of having someone we could reach out to for guidance, building up our stamina while we strived towards our goals, and inspiring and passing down what we learned to create amazing new players on the court. 

These are the types of relationships we’ve built the community at UA around because we know how difficult it can be to find them on your own. However, putting the effort into cultivating these three relationships can take you a long way, helping you reach goals faster and smarter.

Check out our new course on Valuation and Due Diligence HERE! 

Want to have the tools to become a business owner? Well here you go!

Yours Unconventionally,

Codie & Ryan

Co-founder- Unconventional Acquisitions

You can also register for the course here OR if you are serious about buying a small business, join our Mastermind.