If you are serious about becoming successful as an online entrepreneur you need a good mentor - someone who could show you the proper steps to become successful.

With any business venture, whether online or offline, it is important that you find someone who has traveled the same road you plan to travel and they are willing to share their experiences candidly and honestly. You want someone who has YOUR best interests in mind - not just THEIR wallet.

If you're like most you will come across a lot of so-called "gurus" and "experts" claiming to have all the answers. However, what I have discovered is that many are scam artists looking to make a buck off of unsuspecting newcomers to this business. They will make wild and crazy claims about how you will become rich overnight if you buy their product, their service, their tool.

You've heard the typical claims like, "Buy my book today and you will have $1 million dollars in your account tomorrow!"

Let me say this before I move on. You have heard it before and it is helpful to hear it again.

"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

So you may ask, "So what do I do? How can I tell the difference? Who do I trust?"

Contrary to popular belief there are some good people on the Internet willing to be of service to the new generation of online business owners. They truly have your best interests in mind.

The definition of a mentor according to Webster is,

1. A trusted counselor or guide. 2. Tutor, Coach.

Let me give you 4 simple points to help you find a good online business mentor:

1. They must have honesty, integrity and credibility. 2. They must have legitimate,successful experience in this industry. 3. They must have a proven, verifiable track record. 4. They must be able to answer in clear terms the most basic question every online marketer asks when starting this business. It goes something like this:

"I am still fairly new to this whole Internet marketing thing. I've tried a handful of opportunities and spent hundreds of dollars on information and services so far. I've gotten nowhere. I need to start making money now! Can you help me finally grow a reliable income source online like you did?"

If your potential mentor fulfills all of these categories, then you are on your way to online success. But if not, run away as fast as you can. You will lose more than gain.

Once you find this person(s) listen and follow their lead. And when you become successful (and you will)you can become a mentor to your list of proteges'and help them succeed,too.