Searching for a coach or mentor in Downtown Los Angeles? Blackburn Mentoring gives each client one dedicated mentor who meets in person in Los Angeles or by video. Downtown, that usually means young professionals and students working on career, money and routines. You set the goals, break them into weekly steps and have text and phone contact with your mentor between sessions.
Living and working downtown
Over the last twenty years Downtown has become a place people live, not just commute to. Lofts in the Arts District and the Historic Core, and newer towers in South Park and on Bunker Hill, are full of people in their twenties and thirties working in law, finance, government, design and tech. Several colleges and universities sit at the edges of Downtown, so students are part of the mix too.
What young professionals bring to a mentor
- The first few years of a career. Learning how a workplace really runs, getting noticed and handling a hard manager (your first 90 days in a new job)
- Long hours. Protecting sleep, exercise and relationships when billable or deadline-driven work keeps expanding (preventing burnout at work)
- Money. Rent, loans and a savings plan, plus the habits that keep a good salary from vanishing
- Big decisions. Graduate school, a career switch or a move (should I go to grad school)
- Building a life. Friends, interests and routines outside work in a neighborhood that can feel anonymous
Our page on coaching for professionals covers this in more depth.
What a session looks like
A typical session is practical. You review last week’s commitments, talk about what got in the way and choose a few specific actions for the coming week, for example blocking two evenings for the gym, drafting a note to a mentor at work or setting up an automatic transfer to savings. The mentor checks in midweek by text and asks about the hard one. Over a couple of months those small loops change how the week feels.
Students downtown
Students at Downtown campuses often commute, work and live in a dense, busy area with a lot of distractions. A mentor helps them build a weekly plan, use office hours and line up internships early. Mentors do not tutor. More on mentoring for college students.
Meeting downtown or on video
Downtown has the best transit access in the region, with several Metro lines meeting at 7th Street and Union Station, and it is walkable in parts. Even so, many professionals here find a video session at 7 a.m. or over lunch is the only time that reliably stays free. Mentors meet in person in Los Angeles when a longer conversation helps, for example over a coffee or a walk.
Getting started
- Fill out the assessment. The five-minute assessment covers who the mentoring is for and what you want to change.
- Talk it through. Someone on our team reads it personally, then books a free intro call to cover goals, schedule and rates.
- Get matched. You are paired with one mentor whose background and approach suit you.
- Begin. Sessions run 30 or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, by video around the workday or in person in Los Angeles, on a weekly or monthly plan.
Related
- Coaching in Los Angeles
- Coach in Silver Lake and Los Feliz
- Coach in Hancock Park
- Accountability coaching
- Mentoring and Coaching in Koreatown and Mid-Wilshire
Common questions
I work very long hours. Is mentoring realistic?
Yes. Thirty-minute sessions and short text check-ins are designed for busy schedules, and sessions can be early or at lunch.
Is this the same as an executive coach?
Not exactly. Mentoring covers career goals and also money, health, routines and relationships, with weekly accountability between sessions.
Can a mentor help me decide on graduate school?
A mentor helps you think it through, gather information and make a decision you can stand behind. Admissions advice belongs with the program or an admissions professional.
How do I know if it is working?
You and your mentor review progress against your goals regularly and adjust the plan. If something is not working, it changes.
Get started
Looking for a mentor or coach in Downtown Los Angeles? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.