Do you actually know when you need a mentor? Sometimes the most pivotal career advice comes from a stranger on a boat, a pastry chef, or even your spouse during a financial crisis.

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In this episode of Wildly Appropriate, we unpack the concept of the "Accidental Mentor" and explore how a casual coffee chat can turn into a life-changing career pivot. We dive deep into the friction and growth of working with a spouse during the Global Financial Crisis and why the "perfect" mentor doesn't exist.

Chapters:

• 00:00 The Boat Story: How a 17-year-old landed a foreign exchange job through a chance encounter.
• 01:50 Defining the Mentor: Why a mentor isn't a "godly figure".
• 04:55 The Chef & The Hierarchy: Lessons in corporate politics from a Ritz-Carlton pastry chef.
• 07:20 The Coffee Interview: Turning a request for advice into a custom role at Cheston International.
• 11:44 The Difficult Client: Lessons in adaptability from media owner David Hannon.
• 13:53 Business & Marriage: The friction of a husband joining the business during the GFC.
• 19:32 The Breaking Point: Burnout, a toxic relationship, and the move to Italy.
• 26:00 The "Dickhead" Argument: Business logic vs. emotional reality in a partnership.
• 32:56 Recognising the Need: Why 99.9% of people know what to do but need help verbalising it.
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Episode Takeaways:

• The Power of "Accidental" Connections: How a casual conversation on a boat at 17 led to a high-pressure career in foreign exchange.
• Navigating Ego and Hierarchy: Lessons learned from a German pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton about navigating corporate hierarchies.
• Surviving the GFC with a Spouse: The raw reality of running a business during the Global Financial Crisis, where Krissy went without a wage for two years.
• The "Sponge" Methodology: How to absorb industry-specific knowledge rapidly by treating every superior as a temporary mentor.
• Reverse Mentorship: Why mentoring 23-year-olds can provide more value to the mentor than the mentee regarding motivation and market insights.

Quotes:

"I wasn't looking for a job. Two, I wasn't looking for a mentor. And it was the job that I absolutely needed, and it was the mentor that I absolutely needed at the time."

"You're sitting across from me, you absolute dead shit, asking me what my budgets are... I haven't slept... plus trying to run this business."

"If you stuff up on a trade, it's millions and millions of dollars. We're not just talking... Oh, I can rub that out and write it again."

Research, Topics, Places & People Mentioned:

• Global Financial Crisis (GFC)
• Ritz-Carlton
• Cheston International
• Logos (Johnny & Trent's Company)
• David Hannon (Hannan Printing Press)

Connect with Krissy Marsh:

Have a story about an accidental mentor? DM me on Instagram: @wildlyappropriatepodcast