Nothing in this article constitutes or should be taken as financial advice, and should be treated as for illustrative and educational purposes only. Always do your own research.

Last week, AllBright launched its Mentor Matching programme, which got me thinking about what mentorship means in the context of Web3. The answer to the very common question of how anyone gets into the Web3 space often has a similar answer – I had a friend who was really into this space and they held my hand through it at the beginning. To me, that is kind of what a mentor is – someone who has more experience in a field (or in life) that can help you navigate a situation. It helps to have someone who is willing to dedicate their time and pass on the knowledge they have gained along the way.

If I really think about it, I have used a very similar algorithm to learn new things throughout my entire life. I get interested in something (be it a new career direction or a general topic), I do some initial research about it, I make a long list of questions, and then I find someone who can help me answer those questions. From there, it is an upward spiral – if you dedicate enough time and effort to the topic, you start going down the rabbit hole, you learn other people’s opinions and start forming your own.

My entry into the world of NFTs and broader Web3 space was no different. By the time I got to NFTs, I already knew a little bit about crypto and had bought some Ethereum and bitcoin on a centralised exchange. But I still knew nothing about NFTs, so I followed my usual plan of action. I started where most knowledge journeys start – Google. After I sufficiently confused myself and had a decent level of theoretical knowledge, I turned to a colleague of mine who I knew was into NFTs. And by “turned to” I mean I bugged and bugged that poor soul (intercepting it with long messages of gratitude) until I had set up a MetaMask wallet* and an Opensea account, bought my first NFT in a secondary market (probably overpaying for it handsomely), and learned how to use Discord*.

Whether that fits the formal definition of mentorship or not, I would consider my colleague to be my first NFT mentor. To me, a mentor is someone who is generous and intentional about making time to pass on their knowledge, making it easier for others who are earlier in a similar journey. Mentors are the embodiment of learning from other people’s mistakes – they share their own experiences, so your experience can be better.

Ideally, you don’t want mentorship to be a one-way street. As I grew my knowledge on the subject, our one-way teaching sessions evolved into discussions about the NFT space, new projects, and various developments in the ecosystem.

The other day, I heard Michelle Reeves, founder of Mavion and one of the prominent women in the NFT space, talk about the importance of having that person who will guide you through the initial weeds of new technology – you are not expected to do it on your own.

That same notion stands true for other parts of my life, too. At times when I second guess myself and the decisions I am about to make, I often turn to my mentor to get an outsider’s perspective on the situation – and I am often surprised at how differently they evaluate situations.

At this point, I should also mention that I have more than one mentor – one person cannot be expected to know it all. At any given time, I might have at least three informal mentors. Most companies, be it private or public, have a board of directors. The board helps the CEO navigate the decision-making process and often provides guidance during challenging situations. So, I guess I look at my mentors as my personal board of directors, and whilst the ultimate decision always rests with me, they help me make sense of things when I need advice and direction.

Having had several mentors and having been a mentor myself, here are a few tips on getting the most out of mentorship:

1. Do your homework

If you are being mentored in a particular field, don’t expect the mentor to solve all your problems or teach you from scratch. There are plenty of resources out there to get you started. This will make your sessions more constructive and efficient.

2. Have a list of questions or goals

It is helpful to understand what you would like to get out of the sessions. Setting these, at least very rough, goal posts will make it easier to create structure around the sessions.

3. You make the decision

A mentor is a guide and a sounding board. If you are seeking help with a particular decision (e.g., changing jobs), remember that your mentor is looking at the problem from their set of experiences and their own background. Their advice may be helpful but may not always be right for you.

4. Chemistry is important

Finding the right mentor for you is like finding a good therapist – they may be qualified but that doesn’t necessarily make them a good fit. Many of my mentors over the years evolved into friends. Human connection is an important element of the process.

For more information on AllBright’s Mentor Matching, check out Mentor Matching: Everything You Need to Know.

If you would like to learn more about Web3, look out for my mugshot – I would love to teach you everything I know about the space!

Have a question about NFTs or Web3? Tweet us @liyadashkina and @WeAreAllBright.

* Metamask – the most common crypto wallet

* Discord – an instant messaging platform used widely by NFT communities