I believe that in business everybody needs mentors because we all have ups and downs in life, and when you can get a helping hand, or be inspired by somebody, it’s a gift.

“I believe that in business everybody needs mentors because we all have ups and downs in life, and when you can get a helping hand, or be inspired by somebody, it’s a gift.”

— Alan Lazowski, Chairman & CEO, LAZ Parking

There is a quiet honesty in this idea. It does not pretend that success is a straight line or that strong leaders never stumble. It starts from a simple truth — we all have ups and downs — and then names the thing that makes those ups and downs easier to navigate: someone willing to offer a helping hand, or someone whose example inspires us to keep going. Calling that help a gift is exactly right. Mentorship cannot be bought, demanded, or rushed. It is given.

Why Everybody Needs Mentors

The word “everybody” matters. It is easy to assume that mentors are for beginners: the new hire, the first-time founder, the student finding a career. But the quote makes no such distinction. Experienced executives face problems they have never seen before. Seasoned business owners hit markets that suddenly change. Leaders at every level confront decisions that would benefit from the perspective of someone who has been there.

A mentor offers something that books, courses, and data cannot fully replace: judgment shaped by experience. A good mentor can say, “I’ve seen this before, and here’s what I learned.” They can help you tell the difference between a setback and a disaster, between a bad quarter and a broken business model, between a hard conversation you need to have and one you should let go.

Mentors also offer perspective on yourself. They can see habits, blind spots, and strengths that are invisible from the inside. That kind of honest feedback is rare, and it becomes rarer the more senior you become, because fewer people are willing to tell a leader the truth.

The Ups and Downs Are Normal

One of the most useful things a mentor can teach is that difficulty is not a sign of failure. Every business goes through cycles. Products miss. Hires don’t work out. Customers leave. Money gets tight. On the other side, there are breakthroughs, growth spurts, and moments when everything seems to click.

Without perspective, it is easy to overreact to both. A downturn feels permanent; a win feels guaranteed to last. A mentor who has lived through multiple cycles can steady you in both directions — encouraging you when things are hard and keeping you grounded when things go well.

The quote’s language is worth noticing here: “ups and downs in life,” not just in business. Professional challenges rarely stay neatly separated from personal ones. Health, family, stress, and confidence all shape how we lead. The best mentors understand that they are helping a whole person, not just a job title.

Two Kinds of Gifts: Help and Inspiration

The quote identifies two distinct ways a mentor can make a difference.

The helping hand

Sometimes mentorship is practical. It is an introduction to the right person, advice on a contract, a candid read of a business plan, or a phone call at the moment you need it most. These concrete acts of help can open doors and prevent costly mistakes.

Being inspired by somebody

Other times, mentorship works through example. You watch how someone treats their team, handles a crisis, or keeps their word, and you decide to lead the same way. Inspiration does not always require a formal relationship. Some of the most influential mentors in people’s lives never knew they were mentors at all. They simply lived in a way worth imitating.

Both forms matter. Advice without example can feel hollow. Example without accessible guidance can feel out of reach. The richest mentoring relationships combine the two.

How to Find and Keep Good Mentors

If mentorship is a gift, it is worth thinking about how to receive it well. A few practical principles help:

• Look beyond titles. The right mentor may be a peer, a former boss, a customer, or someone in a completely different industry. What matters is relevant experience and good judgment.
• Ask specific questions. “Will you be my mentor?” can feel like a heavy request. “Could I ask your advice on how you handled a similar decision?” is easier to say yes to, and often leads to a lasting relationship.
• Respect their time. Come prepared, follow up on what you discussed, and let them know how their advice played out.
• Be open to hard truths. A mentor’s most valuable feedback is often the most uncomfortable. Listen before defending yourself.
• Build a circle, not a single lifeline. Different mentors bring different strengths. One may help with finance, another with leadership, another with balancing work and life.

Passing the Gift Forward

Every person who has benefited from a mentor eventually faces a choice: to keep that gift or to pass it on. The healthiest business cultures are built by people who choose the second option. They make time for younger colleagues. They answer the email from a stranger asking for advice. They share what they learned the hard way so someone else might learn it more easily.

Mentoring others is not only generous; it is also clarifying. Explaining your decisions to someone else forces you to examine them. Watching someone grow reminds you of what matters. Many leaders find that being a mentor teaches them as much as having one.

Organizations can encourage this too. Leaders who model openness, create space for informal guidance, and recognize the people who develop others send a clear signal: helping each other grow is part of the job.

What to Do This Week

• Name your mentors. Write down the people who have offered you a helping hand or inspired you. Consider sending one of them a note of thanks.
• Identify a gap. Think about a challenge you are facing and who might have experience with it. Reach out with one specific question.
• Offer help. Find one person earlier in their journey and offer them half an hour of your time.
• Reflect on your example. Ask yourself whether the way you lead would inspire someone who was watching. Someone probably is.

We all have ups and downs. The difference often comes down to who is beside us when they happen — and whether we are willing to be that person for someone else.