Becoming successful can take decades to achieve if you do not understand the power of velocity and having a strong network. College students, entrepreneurs and executives can all benefit from having a highly qualified mentor in their field to help them avoid professional pit falls. Every time you make a mistake in the business world, it will cost you professional capital and even cash money. Most businesses fail within the first three years due to lack of capital, so you do the math.

Now that we both agree that you can benefit from a mentor, let’s identify your perfect match. Your ideal mentor should be on the top of their game and have time to devote to your meetings. She or he should also be an expert in their field and be willing to introduce you to opportunities, provided you are hard working and trustworthy. You should immerse yourself in research before you contact your future mentor. You must find out all you can about them to ensure they are a good match. Then dazzle them with the research you conducted regarding their history and performance.

Now the big catch… You should approach your future mentor with enthusiasm, information and an invitation to join you for a cup of Starbucks coffee. I would avoid lunch or dinner offers. Coffee is good for introductions and gives them an opportunity to escape if things don’t go well. Every business boss must have an exit strategy or escape plan in place before they enter into a new relationship. Request 30 minutes and stick to it. If you wear them out on your first visit, you may not get a second meeting. Have a short list of questions to include your request to become a mentee and allow them to talk. And most importantly, TAKE NOTES. If you engage in dialog with a boss and never take a note, you will insult them. When someone gives you valuable information and you make no attempt to capture it, they assume it has little value to you and will hesitate sharing with you in the future. If you use a tablet to take notes, you must let them know up front that you use technology to take notes so they don’t think you are answering emails or messaging your BFF. Good luck and happy hunting.

Victor Young is the CEO of Human Technology Solutions, V. Young Enterprises and Victor Young Productions. He is co-owner of Lamborghini Sarasota, BMW of Sarasota, Lotus Sarasota, Ocala Jaguar and Ocala Range Rover. Victor is a writer, director and producer of feature films, television series and documentaries with Media & Management Global. He is a Tampa native with three daughters and Married to Tia L. Young. Subscribe to future blogs at www.thedailylifecoach.com/blog , follow Victor Young on Linkedin, The Daily Life Coach on Facebook, Snap Chat and Youtube. @TheVictorYoung on Twitter and Instagram