By Neil Jain, citizen contributor

When I first started my business, my support system consisted of my family and some close friends. As a sole proprietor, I needed to get up to speed on all aspects of running a business, including product development, pricing, sales, marketing and online presence, among many others.

Luckily, I realized fairly early on that I couldn't possibly do everything on my own and that having a mentor with complementary skills and more experience would be a huge boon to me and my business.

I applied to the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) for a small startup loan to which they tie in a mandatory two-year mentorship commitment. After being accepted, I was really glad to have been connected with an excellent mentor who has many years of marketing expertise (not my forté!) in a variety of industries, including a substantial amount of time running his own business.

My mentor and I meet once a month in a relaxed coffee shop. We have a written meeting agenda to help keep us on track. I always enjoy our meetings, because they help me get a second opinion or learn a different perspective or strategy. Keeping in touch regularly helps me stay motivated -- and constant motivation is oh-so-critical for new entrepreneurs and small business owners!

Video: Neil Jain interviews his mentor Steven Litt below.

A mentor's business experience can really help you cut back on silly mistakes and avoiding to have to "learn the hard way." Most importantly, we have all heard the dismal predictions that the majority of small businesses will fail. I think mentorship can make the crucial difference between surviving and succeeding in business.

I especially appreciate that my mentor recommends lots of fantastic ideas but recognizes that the final decisions will always be my own. A mentor who can successfully strike this balance is a great one!

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