A mentor does not buy, sell or negotiate. A mentor provides a service. In essence, mentoring is simply helping someone else play their cards right and become successful in their home business or other endeavour.

Thus defined, mentoring has been a business practice for a long time. Recent estimates indicate that a large majority of successful people have used a mentor as a standard business practice. Mentors choose to help others reach their goals for various reasons, most common reason being to gain support and help for their own projects and from a true desire to assist others. After all, what good is information if you don't share it with someone who needs a mentor?

Many mentors help a peer or friend move up ladder in order to achieve personal satisfaction and develop friendships. Also, you've probably experienced a friend saying, "I helped you, and now I need help too..." Basically, being or having a mentor is an exchange of services and friendship.

One reason mentoring is popular, especially in today's economy, is that it provides free training that normally would be provided at special training classes costing a lot of money. Mentors willingly provide this service, as it is simply bottom line method of training with little or no cash. In times of little or no cash flow, mentoring is a highly desirable commodity, and mentoring is becoming even more widespread. Mentoring offers a way to hold onto cash while continuing to get advice and training.

You may operate a home business selling services or products, but no matter which kind of business you're in, there's always a question in back of your mind: will my home business succeed or fail, or do I have motivation it takes to keep it afloat? Whichever type of home business you have, it's important that you know ways that you can keep your business going during slack times and/or economic downturns. If cash flow is a problem in your business, you should be sure to make certain that your money management techniques are on target and well refined.

Some of things you can do to make sure your business will survive in 21st century is to avoid impulse expenditures. There are many reasons for impulse spending, even as it applies to business. We may fall under persuasive spell of a salesperson who has talked us into buying things we don't need. Maybe we simply made impulsive purchases because we had a little extra money, or perhaps to keep up appearance of prosperity. Then you realize a few days later that you've committed some of your business funds to products or services that are not necessary for success of your business.

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult". -- Seneca

Here are some tips to help you avoid these impulse purchases and make certain your business succeeds:

1. You can help control impulse purchases by requiring two (or more) signatures on all company checks over a set amount. This will give you time to seriously consider whether or not you really need product or service you are about to buy.

2. If you are vulnerable, you can get yourself out of grasp of an insistent salesperson if you explain that all purchasing decisions are contingent upon approval of a second party. This so-called second party can be anyone - a partner or a department head or even a family member.