Looking for a business mentor in Germany / Europe — 26F, motivated but feeling stuck
Hello everyone,
I’m a 26-year-old woman from Germany looking for a mentor or practical advice on starting a business. I’m open to many paths...e-commerce, services, retail, or something digital. I mainly want to learn how experienced founders identify opportunities, make decisions, and start with limited resources.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Business Education and am currently completing my Master’s. I’m the first person in my family to attend university, and I grew up in a low-income household without any entrepreneurial role models.
Since moving out at 18, I have worked in hospitality, retail, airport operations, delivery, and now Learning & Development at an international IT consulting company. I learn software quickly, communicate well in English and German, enjoy solving problems, and have experience creating learning content, videos, and documentation.
However, I have realized that corporate life is probably not the right long-term fit for me. I struggle with micromanagement, unclear responsibilities, and doing work where I cannot see a real connection to customers or outcomes. I would rather build something I genuinely care about and take responsibility for it.
I do not have much savings or a business network, but I am willing to learn, work hard, and contribute value. In exchange for guidance, I can help with research, content creation, communication, learning materials, documentation, or general admin/operations.
I’m not looking for someone to give me a business idea or guarantee success. Just honest advice from someone who has built a business before, ideally in Germany or Europe.
Thank you.