If you're aiming to become a CFO, one of the most powerful assets you can have is a mentor.

A mentor not only provides guidance, but they can also help you develop leadership skills, navigate tricky business situations, and fast-track your career in finance.

Why Having a Mentor is Useful

For aspiring CFOs, the journey to the top can be challenging.

Particularly if you're working within a start-up or scale-up.  You may be the most senior finance member in the team, but you may only be at the Head of Finance / Financial Controller level or a brand new Finance Director and you're still learning the ropes.  

The Founder doesn't have time to guide you and there is potentially no CFO.

This is where a mentor can step in.

A mentor helps you navigate this path by offering advice on strategic decisions, leadership development, and financial challenges.

They have walked the path you're on, and their experience provides invaluable insight. They can highlight potential pitfalls and steer you toward the skills you need to develop.

What a Mentor Can Do for You

A mentor provides more than just career advice—they can help you:

• Set career goals: Understand where you want to go in your finance career and how to get there.
• Offer strategic insights: Share perspectives on the skills, strategies, and leadership qualities needed to advance.
• Provide networking opportunities: A mentor often opens doors to networks you wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
• Offer guidance in difficult situations: Whether it’s managing challenging relationships at work or negotiating business deals, a mentor offers support when needed.

What a Successful Mentor Relationship Looks Like

A successful mentor-mentee relationship is built on trust, regular communication, and mutual respect. Both parties need to commit to the process. As the mentee, it's important to come prepared for each meeting with clear questions or goals in mind.

Mentors don’t need to be someone within your company; they can come from any sector, as long as they understand the business environment you're navigating and can provide the support you need to grow.

If You Can't Find a Mentor

If finding a mentor proves difficult, don’t worry—there are other ways to grow as a finance leader. Enrolling in an online course like my Financial Leadership Fundamentals is a great way to develop the skills required for the CFO role. The course provides insights into leadership, strategy, and finance, which are crucial for your career growth.

By learning from industry professionals and honing your leadership skills, you can make significant strides toward your career goals, even without a mentor.

Want to fast-track your finance career growth?  Check out the steps in our Framework below to get started:

1. Sign up to our next workshop.
2. Work with me in the Financial Leadership Foundations course  that includes monthly Q&A sessions where we can discuss all of your questions and how to apply your learnings to your current role. 
3. Download the Upgrade your Management accounts course to showcase your skills as a finance leader to the Founder, leadership team and the Board.
4. Book at FLF Career Planning session.