What I Learned From Being A Mentor

For the past three years I’ve been a mentor for the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Mentoring Monday, which took place in 43 cities today. Imagine – 10 thousand women across the country connecting in one morning. It’s an early start to the day but the passion and drive I see in these women is inspiring. They ask countless questions about how I got to where I am, what were the biggest obstacles I faced, how I knew when to make the first hire and what advice I could give them to be successful. I always fire questions back -- what do they love about what they’re doing now, how could they change their current situation to make it ideal, are they living their passion? I find that with a bit of coaxing, they already have all the answers. They just need a fresh perspective and perhaps a contact or two, which I gladly share. Some are budding entrepreneurs while others are trying to navigate the corporate ladder. Some are just starting their careers while others find themselves in mid-career wanting to make a change or thrust back into the workforce after some type of life change. They’re all courageous and what I learned is that today’s protégés could be tomorrow’s mentors.