Business
Build Your Network
Lesson time 11:29 min
Relationships are everything. Elaine describes the mentors, friends, and family members who have guided her through her career and offers advice on how to build your own “board of advisers.”
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Build Your Network • Appoint Your “Board of Advisers” • How to Find Your Mentor • Don’t Just Look Up. Look Around. • Digital Mentors • Your Manager Is Not Always Your Mentor • Lift as You Rise •
Teaches Designing Your Career
Former Teen Vogue editor in chief and multimedia icon Elaine Welteroth teaches you how to harness your values, skills, and passions to create your dream career path.
Sign UpPreview
[MUSIC PLAYING] - I don't know about you, but most people I know don't have a trust fund, didn't come from a ton of money, and don't have a fallback plan. But when times get hard, your safety net is in your people. It's the people that show up for you, that are willing to be mirrors for you, that are willing to lovingly critique you when you're wrong, that are willing to have your back. Those are the people that you need to hold close to you every step of the journey. [MUSIC PLAYING] As we build out our blueprint, we have a set of people, between 5 to 10 people, that we consider our board of advisors. Who are those board of advisors in your life? These are people that aren't necessarily investing in your businesses financially, but they are investing in you in other ways. You have to look at yourself like a business. You have look at yourself like a brand. And what is that company culture that you're building from ground zero? Before you have even started to make money, who are you surrounding yourself with? Who are you turning to when you're in trouble? Who are you turning to for advice? Appoint your board of advisors. And be incredibly intentional about where you want them to sit in your life. And when it's appropriate, tell them that you've appointed them into certain positions, but also be mindful of their time. If you ain't paying them, remember this ain't a paid job. But you absolutely should call on them in those pivotal career moments. And just have them so that you're not sitting there going, who the hell do I call? Who are my people? Because you will find yourself in moments where you feel like you're completely alone in the world. So who do you plan on calling on when problems arise? [MUSIC PLAYING] So let's talk about mentorship because a lot of us were raised up in our careers to think that we all need a mentor and that there's this one way to get a mentor. You ask somebody, will you be my mentor? To ask somebody will you be my mentor is literally like walking up to somebody on the street and being like, will you marry me? Like you kind of need to court them a little. You kind of need to build a relationship. You might need to buy them a drink-- nonalcoholic. Coffee-- start with coffee. So it takes a level of courage to be able to make that first move. But what I have found is really a helpful tool is to ask for 15 minutes of someone's time. And the most important piece of advice I can give you is to do your homework. Do not waste their time. Be prepared for that question that will come up, which is now what can I do for you? How can I help? When that question comes, be prepared with an answer. Be specific with what it is you're looking for. Be intentional. Because people appreciate when somebody is clear and direct about what they're looking for from you. And they can be clear and direct with you about whether or not they can deliver. My first boss, Harriette Cole-- I stalked he...
About the Instructor
After a decade in her dream job as editor in chief of Teen Vogue, award-winning journalist Elaine Welteroth realized she had other dreams worth pursuing. Now, the New York Times bestselling author, multimedia trailblazer, and judge on the new Project Runway is teaching you how to get out of your comfort zone and harness your personal values, passions, and skills to custom design a career path as unique as you are.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Elaine Welteroth
Former Teen Vogue editor in chief and multimedia icon Elaine Welteroth teaches you how to harness your values, skills, and passions to create your dream career path.
Explore the Class