hebel. today · 6 November 202661 / 74
Career · Strategic Networking
Build your own board of six advisors
Katy Mooney and Kelly Mooney recommend building a six-pack of professional advisors to provide diverse perspectives on your career trajectory. This board includes a coach, a mentor, a cheerleader, an industry peer, a sponsor,…
From 2 newsletters · 1 min read · one thing to try
Katy Mooney and Kelly Mooney recommend building a six-pack of professional advisors to provide diverse perspectives on your career trajectory (Kelly Mooney from Get Equipt). This board includes a coach, a mentor, a cheerleader, an industry peer, a sponsor, and a work friend, each serving a distinct role in your long-term growth. You identify six individuals across varying ages, genders, and career stages to act as a sounding board for your professional challenges, reaching out to them specifically to share a current hurdle and ask for their counsel.
The practice of building a six-pack extends beyond simple networking by creating a structured support system that persists over time. You block time on your calendar for consistent check-ins to maintain these relationships, using 15-minute windows for both small talk and specific requests for feedback on your work. This approach mirrors the way you treat your boss like a customer, ensuring you remain proactive and prepared to lead the conversation during your interactions.
Melanie Benson suggests going live with a peer on platforms like Substack to reach new audiences and deepen connections through shared visibility (The Soulful Selling Sisterhood). This collaborative effort allows you to amplify your light and grow together, moving beyond transactional outreach to build sincere, long-term bonds. As Sue B. notes, you find one writer whose work you admire and leave a thoughtful comment on her post without any ask attached to begin that process.
Try today · 20 min
Draft a list of six people to form your personal board of advisors.
Pick one person for each role: coach, mentor, cheerleader, peer, sponsor, and work friend.
You need
- A blank document or notebook
- Your contact list
Steps
- Review your professional network for potential candidates.
- Assign each of the six roles to a specific person.
- Verify that the list includes diverse ages, genders, and career stages.
- Draft a brief message to each person explaining a current challenge you are navigating.
- Send the first outreach message to one of these individuals.