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