i have a few ideas but my first thought would be tim russ

Mark,

I would select someone that has the following traits:

Humility, work ethic, and clear goals.

Notice that being a guru isn't included?

Great question!

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I can't think of any living person.

I would start with the library or bookstore and read about business. When you understand something about business, then you can begin thinking about how internet marketing, only one marketing channel of many, can be used to increase your profits.

Stop getting ready to get ready and just do. No matter how many books you read about having children, there is no substitute for real experience.

I wouldn't mind getting some help from someone like Michael Rasmussen

It really depends on what area you're focusing on...

If it's hosting, Greg Hughes.
If it's Launches, Frank Kern.
If it's ebay, Jim Cockrum.
If it's affiliate marketing, Mike Cowles!

~Mike Cowles. <><

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Well on the technical side I have that...but on the marketing side if I could sit there and actually pick someones brain...I would probably pick Eban Pagan...
Just because I believe he has a very keen mind for what people are thinking. Reading target audiences/customers very well.

Thanks Mike!

I would say myself of course. I'm self mentored!

But I wouldn't mind sitting down for a few beers with warriors like Allen Says, Mike Filsaime, John S. Rhodes, Chris Rempel, Paul Myers, Andrew Cavanagh, Jeff Walker, Willie Crawford etc...

I don't care who is more succesful than who, all of these guys have had some brilliant insights in the form of posts here that have helped me in many ways.

- Dan

Markus Frind from Plenty of fish, mainly because he is fellow canadian but also because he cracked a pretty competitive market on his own with very little money. i would like his thoughts on how he did it and why he used the methods he did.

If I had to just pick one, I would probably say Mike Filsaime because of how mathematical his approach is to building a business model that lasts, rather than just making a few cool sales. But I much prefer this Building Method where some of the greatest minds of business on the internet gather round to teach their wisdom. It reminds me of a modern version of a Business Socrates and Aristotle just dropping their wisdom to anyone who comes to listen.

For me, Michael Cheney, Allen Says, John Reese or Yanik Silver would do the trick...

Michael Cheney is my coach. And he is a great coach so to speak... And this is an under-statement of the obvious.

The most important thing to look for in a coach is the fact that you can understand their point of view and agree with it most of the times. Its just like being able to connect with them. I have been able to connect with MC...

-Lakshay

Probably the bum guy Travis

1. Jonathan Mizel
2. Yanik Silver / John Reese
3. Dan Kennedy.

Travis Sago, Imran Naseem..

The person must be successful, willing to mentor you and he must give you honest opinions.

Gary Halbert

The Gary Halbert Letter

- Jared

I love to have a mentor, but my Tibetan friends show me a wisdom in this matter. People over there have an admonition not to take a teacher (mentor or guru) like a dog siezes a piece of meat. You know, if you give a hungry dog a piece of meat, it'll just gobble it up without hesitation. Beware -- misconception and polluted doctrines are more dangerous than poisons and drugs.

Nelson Mandela is a great man. His words are my constant reminder.

"I believe in ... me

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves "who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do... we were born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us.

And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."


Hardi

Pick a mentor?

Mentors usually choose you when you are ready.

I have found that to really have a mentor, you need to educate yourself and have a particular focus. If you focus and create your specific target you will be prepared to get a mentor in the area of your focus. You also need to be available where they are.

You are in a good place here to have a mentor find you.

This is actually a tricky question... because many of us have no idea what it is that we don't know yet.

And, people will generally pick a name based on their own personal experience with (and exposure to) that other person. Where a person is on his/her journey will also dictate who the mentor should be. Example - a beginner will choose someone very different from the mentor an advanced marketer chooses.

So, who I pick as my mentor may not necessarilly help anyone else in any way.

And, maybe that's the point of all this.

It's probably wise to pick someone who resonates with you, who moves you, who is able to convey ideas and advice to you, whose writing/teaching connects with you best. (The same advice can be used for choosing joint venture partners.)

Two mentors can give the exact same advice and yet affect people differently. We're all unique in the way we can communicate and teach. (Remember your high school teachers? Some you liked, others you didn't.)

My personal list would consist of people like Allen Says, Paul Myers, Jonathan Mizel, etc. because I get the most out of the way these guys communicate their ideas and wisdom. I like the unique way in which they approach things, which gets my mind to see things in a different way, and consider possibilities that I hadn't considered yet.

Others may choose them for different reasons. And yet others may choose different individuals, based on which direction they want to go in.

Interestingly, my reasons for choosing these guys are the same reasons that sometimes lead me to names (and places) that I normally wouldn't go to. (So, I can get a completely different perspective and consider if maybe I'm missing something.)

brent hall or frank kern

Oh, it would almost certainly be Frank Kern. I love his attitude to marketing and life in general. I also think I can surf better than Frank so could show him a few things :p

My picks...

People I like to be mentored by:
Josh Spaulding
Mark Joyner
Jimmy Brown

People I recommend any one esp. newbies to stay away from:

RUSSEL BRUNSON!

Any of the "3 Mike's" would dramatically help streamline my businesses...

Michael Cheney, Mike Filsaime or Michael Rasmussen.

I would go with two people I trust... Steven Wagenheim to help me kickstart my AM ventures, and Angela Booth to get me going in my freelance writing career.

The best mentor I've EVER had is Willie Crawford.

He's humble, is known as the most trusted guy on the net
and took me from $0 to HIGH five figures per month on the
internet. I did great in offline, but he was the missing link
online.

On top of all that he knows everybody. He has introduced
me to over 150 of the top marketers since May. I have since
JV'd with many of them, including an upcoming JV with Allen
Says himself. (Watch for it next week )

All because of Willie.

If you're going to choose one, nobody compares to Willie.

David

guys many thanks for the very useful suggestions. Watch this space

No one I know of could teach me something "ground breaking".

Although, I've yet to find someone who can teach PPC on a pro level as to make 90% of campaigns profitable.

I find the bigger the name, the more crap they put out and I've learned from real people like Steven Wagenheim who don't pay $50.000 for endorsements etc. You know, the people that have felt the sharp edge of the blade and can really pass on knowledge.

Eric Louviere really opened my eyes. Again.. self made millionaire who doesn't need to rely on others to be successful.

These are the people who I learn from.

I also don't like the way some people only socialize with "big names" as well. It's like they get to a certain height and lose all respect for others. Man they pee me off.

Louis

Russell Brunson, Mark Joyner, Jeff Johnson and Mike Dillard--oh yeah--Rich Schefren too. For various reasons, although there really are more that I certainly wouldn't turn down!

It depends on what you want to learn... you can also subscribe in any IM's list, observe and learn a lot from him!

I'd never pick anyone. It's enough to have myself.

Def, Frank Kern, very cool,nice and helpful

Big Mike
Kevin Riley
Tim Gorman
Eben Pagan

Mike Litman without doubt has been a mentor who make things start to
happen for me. If I had to pay hard earned cash, it will be Mike all the
way for me.

His site: Success Secrets | Goal Setting Techniques | Mike Litman <-- No affiliation.

Glenn

James Caan for me. Seems a nice guy with good business sense.

Matt Rhodes
Kevin Riley
Eben Pagan

My picks would have to be Kevin Riley, Ross Goldberg, Willie Crawford, Jason Moffatt and if I were to go super-guru I would pick Frank Kern and Mark Joyner

Without a doubt it would be Rich Schefren. Rich is the guy that all the gurus contact. He would help me to build a systematized business. And maybe a sprinkling of Harvey Zemel.

And then next I would probably work with Kenrick Cleveland for sales skills.

And lastly I would work with Dan Kennedy for marketing/copywriting.

M

I suggest that some people would make a great business
coach, but not such a great mentor. Lots of folks have
confused them both in this tread.

HTH

Glenn

For me:

Michael Cheney, John Reese, Jonathan Mizel, Rich Schefren or Russell Brunson.

Anyone would do!

Online stuff - definately Eben Pagan

But my real success has come with the offline niche so any of the ones i have learnt from:

1) David Preston
2) Andrew Cavanagh
3) Shaun Oreilly
4) Gina Gray (M4UNow)
5) Jamie Garside (GoGetta)
6) Vegas /vince )good info learnt from his BlogTalkRadio)
7) Michael Sylvester

Baal

I'll mentor anyone who:

1. Has drive, ambition, shows initiative, loves working alone and on a team, is willing to sit in front of a computer 16 hours a day, isn't afraid to invest money in their business even if it hurts in the beginning, would rather use google to find answers to questions, has a knack for choosing niches, is open minded and excited to learn new things, doesn't buy every ebook that comes out, isn't affected by the media doom, asks intelligent questions, treats it like a real business and looks at failure as a way to learn from their own mistakes rather than using their mentor as a scapegoat for their own inaction or lack of dedication.

2. Does #1 without doubt and without having to be told to do so.

;-)

Ed

I think I'd have to say Jeff Johnson. I've never seen anyone who is so absolutely filled with information. I also like his way of delivering it. He's no nonsense and explains everything thoroughly. You can tell just by listening to him that he knows what he's talking about.

1) David Preston
2) Andrew Cavanagh
3) Vince Runce

Travis Sago and Michael Rassmussen.

Either Micheal Brown or Keven Riley both are great

Alex Goad, Is my pick.....

For me it would be:

Mike Filsaime
Jeff Walker
Frank Kern

I think these guys are the best of the best

But we can all learn from them all online

My pick would be Mr. "Getting Everything you Can Out Of All You've Got"

Jay Abraham

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hi,

it would depend what you want to do in IM.

There are many ways to make money so for example if you wanted to focus on product creation and product launches then i would learn from Frank Kern or Matt Bacak or Mike Filsaime.

But their coaching programs are rather high priced so it depends what your budget is to get this education.

Jani

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Who is the right mentor ? The Guru or ....?

Eben Pagan
John Reese

My picks would be Chris Rempel and Jimmy D Brown. Not sure why but I am more aligned to what they are doing especially how they build their businesses.

If money was no question I would pick Frank Kern, Tellmann Knudson and Russell Brunson

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