As an alpha, female entrepreneur, and business baddie, chances are you’re already aware of the cultural construct within our society. This construct encourages women to compete, compare and criticise one another as women in business.
It’s a social norm that’s as old as time, but as dull as dust. We believe it’s time to look beyond this manipulation. Mentorship is one of the top strategies to help close the gender gap in business leadership. We believe it’s vital to the advancement and development of opportunities that are available to us – both as individuals, and as a collective community.
If you’re a She-EO, boss babe in the making, or simply want to succeed in your line of work, listen up. We’re digging into why it’s important to be pro-mentorship. We’re giving you the 411 on how to find the best mentor for your biz.
What Makes A Mentor Marvellous?
Let’s start with the basics: What exactly is a mentor?
Mentors exist in all different industry fields, ranks, and age groups. If we were to put it simply, a mentor is someone with an interest in the mentee’s career. They act as an advisor, sounding board, and well of wisdom for someone who has less experience in a particular field.
Why Is It Important For Women To Mentor Other Women?
When women offer their services and expertise to foster the growth of a fellow female entrepreneur, we can build sustainable female leadership roles in a male-dominated industry. By investing in the education of another, mentors provide women with the following:
Killer Confidence
Entrepreneurship can be a daunting undertaking, especially when you lack the higher-level skills and experience to back up daily decision-making. Consulting with a successful individual who has already experienced the same or similar situations increases your social proof and knowledge within your line of work. This leads to an increase in confidence pertaining to problem-solving and leadership.
Dynamic, Defined Goals
A mentor not only boosts your self-confidence, but they can assist mentees in clarifying and setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-sensitive) goals for their business. Having identified these SMART goals with a mentor gives mentees a better understanding of their professional objectives. It reinvigorates their purpose and it provides mentors with a measurable point of reference to determine the overall growth and development of the mentee.
Illimitable Know-How and Knowledge
Mentors have been around the block a couple of times, stumped their toes, and poured time and money into their businesses. Each mentor has in-depth work experience that is beneficial to the mentee. Mentorship is about utilising the unique perspective that’s provided by the mentor. We can often get stuck in our heads, over-think, or underestimate business growth opportunities. That’s why it’s important to have an alternative perspective to ensure that we’re looking at obstacles and opportunities through an informed lens. If you’re looking for advice on business growth, business funding, or product/service enhancement, your mentor might not have all the answers. However, they can point you in the right direction.
A Network That Works
A good mentor is plugged into the right industry channels, knows all the right people, and tricks of the trade. This will vastly expand the mentee’s professional network and open doors to places that they would not have gained access to on their own. When female alphas unlock doors to important spaces and take as many women with them as they can, the patriarchal system maintaining these male-dominated spaces will tumble like a house of cards. Getting women out of their comfort zones, developing their soft skills, leadership capabilities, and allowing them to take on opportunities that are most often given to the old boys club, is the next step towards gender equality in all of its forms.
Ready to find your perfect Mentor?
Finding the right mentor for you starts with a simple step: Reaching out! The truth is, no one is going to come out the gate begging you to be their mentee, even if they see the amazing potential that you have. It’s your job to let potential mentors know that you’re open to mentorship. Make it known that you’re specifically interested in them being your mentor.
Don’t Wait, Join A Mentor-Driven Community
Lucky for you, Xena’s professional online community is the perfect portal to connect you with like-minded women eager to level up their network of fabulous-founders.
STEP 1
Start by creating your online profile and make it as in-depth as possible. Put your best (virtual) foot forward and make it a goal to not dim down your sparkle. Once you’re done, you should be ready to connect, discover insights and learn from the amazing women on the Xena platform.
STEP 2
Keep an eye out for potential mentors and make your move by popping them a thoughtful direct message. Let them know exactly why you admire them and how their experience can be of benefit to you. Don’t be scared to ask if they would be open to a mentorship relationship. Keep in mind that not everyone will be open to mentorship for a variety of reasons, and that’s okay! (Time constraints being the main one.)
STEP 3
Don’t get discouraged. The best part about the Xena community is that there are infinite opportunities for mentor and mentee relationships to take hold of. Plus there is an array of live events from weekly Power Room sessions to the monthly Alpha Series for you to get your mentorship fix.
Ready To Elevate Your Fempreneurship Journey?
Join the Xena community today and unlock the collective potential of the female economy. Who knows? With the right mentor and a team of Female Founders by your side, you could find yourself using your journey to inspire and mentor those who come after you.
“And when you get to where you’re going, turn around and help her too. For there was a time not long ago, when ‘she’ was you.” – Unknown
