“You shouldn't just look for mentors who are five years, 10 years ahead of you. There's a lot of value in having people who are in it with you right now because we're always learning and there's things that someone else might know that you don't know.”

Forget everything you thought you knew about finding a mentor. On this episode of Startups and Stilettos, Carlyn and Ingrid are flipping the script on traditional mentorship. We often believe a mentor must be someone decades ahead of us, but what if the most powerful guidance comes from those walking the path beside us right now? Ingrid and Carlyn dive into their own journeys, from when "Google was my mentor," to building a powerful, diversified network of advisors and peers.

They break down the three essential levels of a modern support system: mentoring up to those you aspire to be like, leaning on your "mentor equals" for real-time collaboration, and paying it forward to guide those just starting out. Because building a business doesn't have to be a solo journey.

Connect with Carlyn:

@carlynbushmanconsulting on Instagram

Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn

Carlyn Bushman Consulting

Connect with Ingrid:

@itsingridsworld on Instagram

Ingrid Zapata-Read on Linkedin

Working Momkind

Grow With Community

What We Talked About:

How Mentorship Has Changed [3:30]

How They Found Advisors [15:00]

The Levels of Mentorship [18:35]

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