I work out of my home, which can be an isolating thing, and this is an amazing way to meet other women entrepreneurs so we can compare and contrast our business issues. I am just excited by the number of women in our community who are running their own businesses! -Sarah Zimmerman, saz communications, Terrace BC-
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One-to-One Mentoring
The next round of One-to-One Mentoring will start Spring 2010. Mentor and Mentee applications are now being accepted for this year!
Sometimes what women need in the first three years of business is a positive, one-to-one relationship that shines a light directly on them and what they do best. They want a relationship that’s focused on them and their business.
The voluntary sharing of knowledge, experiences, challenges, and successes are the keys to a successful one-to-one mentoring relationship. It’s an opportunity for women entrepreneurs to learn to manage risk, to receive feedback, to open doors and develop their capabilities and skills within a framework of support.
If you are a woman in business or with past business experience and you value giving back to your community, then mentoring a newly self-employed woman could be for you. Women often choose to become mentors because they value the assistance they received from their own mentors, and because they want to ‘give back’ to other women or to help another self-employed woman to grow and succeed
We are looking for Mentors all over the province, especially in the more rural regions! To apply to become a Mentor today, click here.
How does One-to-One Mentoring work?
Women’s Enterprise Centre is offering one-to-one mentoring to women across BC. Since major urban centres have a wide range of mentoring programs available, the priority for this program will be given to women outside Vancouver and the Capital region, where mentoring programs are not available.
If you wish to apply to be a mentor, click here to fill out the form. If you wish to apply to be a mentee, click here to fill out the form. Women’s Enterprise Centre will review the goals and objectives of the mentees, and select a mentor with the matching skills and experience. Ideally the pair will be from the same geographical area, but in cases where this is impossible, mentoring will take place via telephone or email.
Materials will be supplied by Women’s Enterprise Centre to help both the mentee and mentor understand the role and purpose of their relationship. Both the mentee and mentor will review the Code of Conduct and agreed upon it.
Once a match is made, the mentor and mentee will decide how and how often to meet. Topics for discussion are determined by the mentee and mentor.
Three months into the relationship, Women’s Enterprise Centre will ask both the mentor and mentee to complete a ‘mid-way review’. Every effort is made to ensure that the match is working, from exploring whether the pair has ‘clicked’ to whether they are staying focused and meeting objectives. This review will also help identify common topics which could be addressed in the Mentor Advisory Forums. A similar review will take place at the end of the 6-month commitment, and the participants can elect to either stop or carry on for another 6 months.
What is the role of the mentee?
A One-to-One Mentee is a female entrepreneur in the first two years of business who is motivated to work towards business success. The role of the mentee in a one-to-one relationship is to prepare and share with a mentor a set of goals and objectives she hopes to gain from the relationship. She will make a commitment toher mentor to work through those goals and objectives and report on her progress or her stumbling blocks. Since this is a voluntary arrangement, respecting the limits of the mentor’s time and attention will keep the relationship moving forward.
Being willing to do things differently, to change, and to accept the suggestions and advice is the key to maintaining a good relationship with a mentor.
What is the role of the mentor?
A Mentor plays an important part in the success of her Mentee. She is chosen from the applicants for her ability to communicate, empathize, and inspire trust. She walks a fine line between giving advice and telling the mentee what to do. A Mentor’s main role is to help the Mentee develop and strengthen her business, specifically by focusing on business issues and business goals. A Mentor is also a soundingboard, offering an open ear, empathy, encouragement and support.
Who to Contact
Women in the first three years of their business are invited to contact the Mentoring Program Coordinator at Women’s Enterprise Centre at mentoring@womensenterprise.ca for a One-to-One Mentoring application form, or fill out our online application form.
All one-to-one mentee applicants are vetted through Women’s Enterprise Centre Mentoring Program Coordinator BEFORE a mentor is assigned.
Once eligibility has been established, the Mentoring Program Coordinator will search for a suitable mentor. Women’s Enterprise Centre can not guarantee that a suitable one-to-one mentor will be found because we anticipate that there will be more women looking for one-to-one mentors than there may be one-to-one mentors available.
If we can’t find a one-to-one mentor for you, we will refer you to the closest Peer Mentoring Group and advise you of the next Mentor Advisory Forum. Of course, you are always free to speak to a Women’s Enterprise Centre business advisor.
How do I become a one-to-one mentor?
If you are a successful woman in business who would like to consider mentoring a woman entrepreneur in her first three years of business, we invite you to contact the Mentoring Program Coordinator at mentoring@womensenterprise.ca or at 1.800.643.7014 or fill out our online sign-up form.
One-to-one mentors receive instructions from Women’s Enterprise Centre before the mentoring process begins. Twice a year mentors will be invited to be in contact with their fellow mentors for support and to discuss common issues they face.
For more information:
For more information about the One-to-One Mentoring and the other aspects of the Mentoring Program offered by Women’s Enterprise Centre, please contact the Mentoring Program Coordinator at 1.800.643.7014 or at mentoring@womensenterprise.ca .
Click here to download the One-to-One Mentoring booklet (pdf).
