“You are not networking to get jobs. You are networking to meet people. By knowing people you get jobs.” - Troy TakakiTroy Takaki, ACE is a Hollywood film & TV editor as well as the founder of the ACE Diversity Mentorship Program. His varied credits include feature films likeSweet Home Alabama, Hitch, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Hauland more recently the television seriesYouon Netflix andMr. Mercedesfor Direct TV. He is also the author of the bookDon't Miss Out On Any Avocado Milkshakes: The Art and Joy of being a Film Editor.As an editor, Troy has worked hard throughout his career to avoid becoming pigeonholed(Quick tip: You don’t actually get pigeonholed, you allow yourself to be pigeonholed…more on that in our conversation)such that he can go back and forth between cutting features, television, and even documentaries because as he says,"The more different kinds of stuff you edit, the better editor you will be."As a mentor (and one of the best in the business, I might add), Troy believes that mentoring is not only valuable for those who are being mentored, but arguably even more valuable to the mentor. We also dig even deeper into his meta concept of mentorship in which the mentees in his program are asked to become mentors from day one, no matter how little experience they might have. Because as I often like to say, “You are the world’s foremost ‘expert’ to whomever wants to do next what you are doing now.”If you struggle with building your network, finding a mentor, and reaching out to strangers you admire, this conversation will help you take your networking game to the next level so you can connect with any industry ‘expert’ in the biz.Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One?» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episodeHere's What You'll Learn:Troy’s roundabout way into becoming an editorHow much of a role did luck play in Troy’s career path?The best parts of the editing process for TroyHow to assess what is fulfilling workBecoming an extrovert and the skills Troy learned to save his marriageKEY TAKEAWAY: Learning small talk can be a lot of fun once you break through the nervousness.How Troy is able to switch from editing features to television consistentlyKEY TAKEAWAY: Always be thinking two jobs ahead before accepting a jobKEY TAKEAWAY: You have to let people know what you want to work on.How Troy was able to write a book while continuing his editing careerThe number one reason Troy continues to mentor people. HINT: It’s not about the menteePRO TIP: If you want to connect with someone who has a resource (i,e., book, podcast, etc.), do your homework first.Mentoring: It's not about findinganexpert, it's about finding YOUR expert.The ACE Diversity Mentoriship program and the three different types of mentorsKEY TAKEAWAY: Try to find someone at your level and one level above you to be your mentorKEY TAKEAWAY: Make sure you ask a question that gets you results.The most important thing you should NOT to do when looking for a mentor.Useful Resources Mentioned:Troy Takaki - IMDbDon't Miss Out On Any Avocado Milkshakes : Troy Takaki AceHow to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best)Ben Franklin effect - WikipediaContinue to Listen & LearnEp141: Michelle Tesoro (ACE) On Playing Chess With Your Career (Instead of Checkers) - pt1Ep134: Leveraging Your Skills to Get Hired (When You Don’t Have the Experience) | with Steve Lang, ACE (pt1)Ep135: The “Playbook” For Building a Successful Career in Scripted TV | with Steve Lang, ACE (pt2)Insider's Guide to Writing Cold OutreachEp106: On the Vital Importance of "Being Nice" | with Jesse Averna, ACEHow to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best)How to Go From Cold Contact to Your Ideal Mentor In Seven Simple StepsIMDbPro for Networking: The 10 Features That Will Take Your Outreach to a New Le...