This article was originally posted to the National Land Realty blog. 

Getting started in the land industry can be daunting. From knowing about the latest land laws to networking to juggling a work/life balance, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Having a mentor in the land industry can help you succeed as a land agent in more ways than one.

Wisdom You Can’t Learn In A Classroom

Although land education is extremely important, to the point of being necessary for agents that want to maximize their earning potential, there are some things you can only learn from experience — such as how to deal with difficult clients or learning how to balance your time as a land agent. These are things you can learn from mentors. A mentor can also guide you away from mistakes they’ve made in the past and learned from, saving you from making those same mistakes as a newer agent.

The benefits of mentorship can go beyond knowledge in the land industry.  A mentor can also guide you towards success beyond a dollar sign.

“‘Successful’ to me was an individual who worked with integrity, spent time away from work with friends and family, was healthy, financially very well off, and had a process and system to their business,” wrote land expert Jacob Hart in a guest post for RLI. “I have learned you can make more money than you can count. However, if you do not have a passion or dreams to go after with that money, more is actually less.”

A mentor can do more than just help you succeed in the land industry. They can help you define and thrive for success in life as well.

Networking

The land industry is a people-driven business, so networking is essential for a successful career. However, meeting new people can be hard, especially if you live in a remote location or are networking when new to the industry. Finding a mentor in the land industry opens the door to meeting their partners, colleagues, and clients, which could grow your own client base. Your mentor will know what events are best to meet clients and other land experts. They can also connect you to people on social media or add you to their social media groups.

Your Field of Expertise

Mentors are especially important if you specialize in a unique type of land or service.
If your specialty is in land auctions, vineyards, timberland investment, or mineral rights, not just anyone can be a mentor.

There are so many benefits of having a mentor that we couldn’t list them all in one article. We hope this article has inspired you to seek out a mentor to help carve out a path for a successful career in the land industry.

Interested in finding a mentor near you? You can use RLI’s Find a Land Consultant tool or get in contact with one of our RLI Chapters to get started finding land experts who have expertise in the same field you’d like to be involved in or who are in your area. We may be biased but we also recommend becoming a member of the REALTORS® Land Institute. The biggest membership benefit we hear about from our members is the networking and camaraderie that their RLI membership continues to bring them year after year which basically makes the membership pay for itself because of the referral and knowledge sharing opportunities.

About the Author: Laura Barker is a freelance writer based out of California for the REALTORS® Land Institute. She has been with RLI since October 2017.