All around the web and in real life, you will find people saying that in order to be successful you need a mentor. Someone to guide you and give advice. Which in theory is something everyone goes, “YEAH! I can totally do that!” In actuality, it can sometimes be way harder than that. I was always of the thinking, “Do you just pick them up off the street? Or maybe I should just twitter stalk people into being my friend? Or I could just add them on LinkedIn and go from there…” As you can see I have a great grip on reality when it comes to this! You’re probably thinking, “Liz needs direction. A mentor would work great for her!” Well, guess what? I do have a mentor and she did fall into my life in the most wonderful of ways!
I don’t know if she meant to be or if she just found herself with me looking to her for advice but here we are. I don’t think I would ever call her mentor in person because she’s a dear friend, but I’m going to take this opportunity to brag on her for the world to see.
My mentor’s name is Megan Miller. She’s amazing! She is passionate about small businesses and turning them around or helping them go to the next level. Her consulting services are top notch! She has a doctorate in business and I know she’s going to change the world. When she reads this, she will be checking my grammar. (Sorry Megan!) She encourages me in all aspects of life! She is usually my first phone call/text/email when making decisions or just when something happens. She is my sounding board and constant encouragement. She politely tells me when I’m wrong or when I just need perspective on things.
I could write a book about her but I wanted to share the story of how we met. I think it’s important for a couple reasons. The first, being that I always want to remember. The second, is I think some people have mentors in their life and don’t realize that that is what they have. So here it is.
In the fall semester of my senior year of college, I became attached to a project that would require some travel with my friend Kelly. We were dreamers, who wanted to change the world. In the spring semester, we were asked to take a class to prepare for the traveling aspect of everything. Instead of taking the class every week with our professor, we would take the class most of the time with Megan. On one of the very first interactions Kelly and I had with Megan, she forced Kelly and myself to understand each other deeply! We took the Myer’s Brigg tests, we analyzed ourselves using that methodology, and we worked to learn the non-analytical stuff too. Kelly and I became even better friends and we LOVED Megan for everything she did for us! She would challenge our viewpoints and encourage us when we became defeated. Megan, a TA at the time, had to have had better things to do than being as generous as she was with us. She gave us the time and attention we needed, as well as, the constant nudge to be better than we were. The day Megan broke the news that our project had fallen through, Kelly and I walked up to her with reports and openly admitted that they were the worst things we had ever written. Megan with knowing eyes and shaking head let us off the hook and still read the worst thing I turned in during my college career! Bless her!
The game changer for my relationship with Megan was actually what happened after the project was canceled. She could have easily looked at Kelly and I and said, “Well, I have a thesis to write for a doctorate! Have a nice life.” BUT SHE DIDN’T! She helped Kelly travel and still change the world. Megan and I would begin to meet for coffee. We didn’t have a running coffee date, but every month or so, I would message her from work or get an email titled “COFFFEEEE?????” Those emails gave me life! They would put a spring in my step and I would get excited! Sometimes I had something to discuss (read vent and/or ramble about random dreams) or sometimes Megan would drop a bomb like she all of the sudden was going to Rome! Over walks to the place of coffee, she helped shape me and in turn gave me the most wonderful gift of friendship and mentorship.
Many people in my life don’t actually know Megan. Partly, because as Megan tells me I know a lot of people and partly because she’s a very secluded part of my life. One that I keep to myself and treasure because I value it. They may have heard of her at some point or know an inkling of who she is, but I should tell the world about her because she earns it! When I stepped away from a job, I had two months of nothing but rejected resumes. On my darkest days, I would find myself giving up on myself. I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but what I could see was an encouraging word from Megan. I would find either a funny meme, or a Bible verse, or even a job she thought would be a good fit for me! When I created this website I sent two emails at 4 am, one to my sister and one to Megan. By the time I woke up for work at 7am I had an email. She had filled out the contact information with a note of encouragement! Why? Because she’s better than I deserve and fantastic.
If you’ve seen me make a big decision in the last 2-3 years, you’ve probably seen some aspect of Megan’s perspective in my life decisions. (She gives solid advice!)
Like I mentioned above, she was required to be apart of my life but I’m so glad she stuck around! One day, I hope I can help get someone through something and mentor them in some way. As far as getting there she would probably say, “Look at where you are and where you want to be. Then figure out a plan to get you from point a to point B.” Like I said before she gives solid advice.
Liz Leach 