Who is your ideal business mentor/coach? Why?

A. The former business owner, because he is well experienced and practically knows negative and positive elements.

If to select between these4, i think the first one because rest of there eventually have to report to business owner, and it is the business owner who have gone through the real pain of investing and managing. Managing Director is second or equal because he has been through business who can guide you many things.

The more specific questions you ask your mentor, the better response you'll get. Mentors are there to help you when you're stuck and to push you to be the best you can be. It's not their job to teach you the basics. As part of this technique, you should get your business up and running before asking anyone to be your mentor. When potential mentors see you've got the backbone to start a business, they're more likely to want to help. Two final points… First, you don't have to formally ask a person to be your mentor unless that's important to you. If you meet someone for coffee on a regular basis to talk about business, you can consider him or her a business mentor. Second, you can have more than one business mentor. You'll gain different insights from each of your mentors. Now that you know how to approach potential mentors, you're ready to learn where to find your ideal mentor. How to Meet Business Mentors The quickest way to meet potential mentors is to get out into the world and start talking to people. In the business world, this is called networking. You can do this through: Networking groups Most towns and cities have networking groups for business owners. A quick Google search will uncover the groups in your area. Networking groups come with a bonus: in addition to finding potential mentors, you'll also connect with potential clients. Co-working spaces Many cities offer co-working spaces where you can rent a desk for the day. You'll also connect with other freelancers who can offer advice and support. Online networking With social networks, the world is your oyster. You can approach anyone in the world and learn from them. Twitter and LinkedIn are the obvious places to connect with people, but you may find you develop richer relationships in online forums or paid communities. Getting to know your clients Not all clients will want to become friends or offer business advice, but some probably will. I've found it's best to let these relationships emerge naturally over time

A. The former business owner