Mentor Her Biz – The Small Business Mentorship Program is a grassroots mentorship program
which partners some of Canada’s top business women with successful small business owners and
entrepreneurs who are looking for that extra bit of connection in their industry and community.
Become a Women in Biz Mentor
What do I get out of being a mentor?
- Gain a fresh perspective on your own career
- Feel excited and energized from helping and giving back (remember you were once in their shoes!)
- The chance to watch your mentee grow and develop with your help and support
- Need more reasons why? Take a look at this post from Forbes on How becoming a Mentor Can Boost Your Career.
What is involved?
- A discussion with your mentee over a phone call or in person for one hour per month
What is the commitment?
- We ask that you commit a minimum of one hour each month for six months. However, this relationship does not need to end at six months – it could continue on beyond this suggested time. We hope it does!
Mentors Perks
- Attend events and conferences as our guest
- Get recognized as a WIBN mentor
- Get 1 year WIBN Membership – value $200
Sounds amazing! What’s Next:
The application will be reviewed and if a match is made we will contact you. Matches are made based on the skill set and expertise required for each mentor/mentee relationship. Once you have connected, it’s time to chat about goals, expectations, and a schedule. You might meet in person over coffee, or you might talk on the phone or video chat. It’s up to you to decide how and how often you meet (please note the minimum), as well as what you’ll work on together and would like to achieve together.
Why become a Mentee?
Did you know?
69% of surveyed companies, representing a wide variety of industries, have formal mentoring programs, and of those, 74% have mentoring programs dedicated to women (Catalyst, 2006)
Do I need a Mentor?
- You can learn from their vast experience
- They will help you define your goals
- They improve your accountability
- According to stats reported by the Startup Genome Project, startups are seven times more likely to raise investment money and three-and-a-half times more likely to grow user numbers for their products and services if they have helpful mentors.
- Must read articles on mentorship
Quotes on the importance of having a Mentor
- “As they say, advice is cheap, but mentorship is worth its weight in gold.”
- “Seek advice from multiple mentors”
- Know what you don’t know. Say I don’t know when you don’t know. ‘I don’t know’ is preferable to bravado”
- “A true mentoring relationship also works in both directions—they learn about new ideas from you just as you learn timeless wisdom from them.”
- “Be sure to set your sights on someone who could be a good role model, someone who has the skills and personality that match your chemistry.”
- “If you come off as someone who knows everything—or thinks you do—many people will back away. If you want to learn, be willing to consider ideas that may not match your expectations or opinions.”
- “[Don’t] assume that because you are successful or experienced in your field that you don’t need a mentor.”
How do I apply to get a mentor?
Currently we are recruiting mentors. When we have received enough applications to start matching mentors with mentees we will be adding an application for mentees to apply. Please check back to this site regularly for an update. Or sign up to be notified of when applications will be accepted. Currently this program is open only to WIBN Members.
How much does this program cost to participate?
This program is completely free program for WIBN members
Questions / Inquiries
If you have questions regarding this program or would like to inquire about becoming a sponsor please contact leigh@womeninbiznetwork.com
