Career and current job of the mentor
- How was the career of the mentor - what led from one to the other, what hurdles had to be overcome? What coincidences played a role?
- Which practical experiences were purposeful, which not?
- What would my mentor in her:his professional career in retrospect do differently?
- Decision criteria for professional career
- Wrong decisions? How were they resolved?
- What is exciting about self-employment?
Questions about the start-up phase
- How did it come to the decision to become self-employed or to start a business?
- What decisions had to be made in advance?
- Where did the mentor receive support and legal advice?
- Is there any start-up advice or funding programs for founders?
- How much time did it take and when did the self-employment pay off?
- Office vs. home office - what experiences has the mentor made?
Networks
- Important contacts - professional networks
- Tips on social media profiles and company pages
- Trade fairs/ events/ workshops
- How to use networks wisely?
Customer acquisition and order finding
- Experiences of customer acquisition via social media and the internet
- How did the mentor approach and find customers?
Specifics
- Where is a good place to find information about current trends in the industry I am interested in?
- How important is work experience in the self-employment I want?
Job/professional field
- Development & continuing education
- In what areas is there potential for development? Market gaps?
- In which cities is there potential for development and need for my offer?
- Recommendations for further education/ additional qualifications/ further master's studies
- What did the mentor have to learn before becoming self-employed?
general questions
- How much can you control your own career path? Which areas do you have a lot of influence on, and which do you have little influence on?
- Get personal feedback from the mentor