A career and life hack is mentoring others - it unlocks satisfaction, learning, and networking. I am in Poland mentoring Ukrainian entrepreneurs this week. Here is my list of contacts in the last 4 days and what I am learning from each of them, both personally and professionally:

--There is no better way to learn entrepreneurship than to work with many entrepreneurs trying to start businesses. This week I am working with 13 Ukrainian women starting social enterprises inside their country while it is at war. These women are literally on the "front lines" of practical entrepreneurship.

--While I am here, one of my own mentees, Tugce Kasikci, has come here to spend time with me. We are working side by side and sharing hours of discussion and collaboration daily. Tugce is showing me what she can do as a Claude prompt wizard, creating on-the-fly workshops for the entrepreneurs.

--Together with David Markley we are working with Wojciech Maj, founder of Net on Wheels, a non-profit that delivers cyber-secure network infrastructure inside Ukraine. His current project is wiring a school near the combat front so that kids can take exams from inside their bomb shelters (yes, this is a real thing in Ukraine). Wojciech is showing us what one motivated person, acting alone, can do to change lives with simple, affordable technology.

--Today I will meet up with Piotr Wieczorek, a Krakow local who has reached out to me. This past weekend I met with Marek Krawczyk. Two new friends and contacts in a city I visit a couple of times a year. This evening I will have dinner with Pawel Mierzwa, a contact from the start of the war who has become a friend over four years of visits. Together these three are teaching me about the Polish business environment - how it is the same and different from the rest of the EU and US.

--This weekend I taught one of my online courses - from here - for mostly US-based students. Teaching Executive Presence has forced me to try to exemplify it live at all times. Nothing improves a skill as fast as trying to teach it to others.

The lessons:

1) Want a bigger network? Offer to share (teach) what you know

2) Want supporters who will travel around the world to help you? Mentor someone!

3) Want to make friends in a new city? Meet up over common interests (career and technology)

4) Want to feel happy, warm, and valuable inside? Help someone else and it will take your mind off your own problems in an instant.

5) Want to meet someone new? Reach out. Before this week I had never met (or heard of) either Marek Krawczyk or Piotr Wieczorek. They saw I was here and reached out to connect. While I and others cannot connect with every person... I absolutely have not connected with the people who never spoke up or asked.

Even if you are a very busy professional, you eat lunch, travel, and probably go for walks. You can "fit in" mentoring as a part of your other activities.