Mentorship doesn't have to be tough to come by for female entrepreneurs. Often times, there is plenty that you can do to secure mentorship for yourself or for a fellow entrepreneur who just needs a additional support. We asked seven women from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) what they thought was the best way to break down those barriers and connect with one another. This is what they had to say.
1. Build your own network.
The easiest way to find women mentors is to build your own group of female entrepreneurs. I created mini-networks of women as I attended many entrepreneurship conferences. I then invited these women to Slack group and asked if they would like to take our collaboration and working together further. They mentioned that they wanted to meet other women and collaborate. My goal in 2018 was to help women collaborate instead of seeing them as competitors and bring the top women from all over the world together in one place helped achieve that goal. This group of women allowed me to find mentors and the help I needed to grow my business and take it to the next level. If you are looking to find mentors, then focus on being your own best leader first and then attract them to your group. -Sweta Patel, Silicon Valley Startup Marketing
2. Join an online community.
Leap is a place for women to share resources and opportunities with each other, it's for mentors, entrepreneurs and investors. There are also great events, built specifically around this, that you can find out about through these types of communities. Point 25 is a perfect example — it matches the most promising women-led companies with amazing C-level advisors for their advisory boards. -Adelaida Diaz-Roa, Nomo FOMO
3. Be one yourself.
I love to mentor female entrepreneurs at the seed or pre-launch stage. In doing so I am introduced to many other mentors from whom I can learn a lot. -Jennifer Mellon, Trustify
4. Reach out to those who you admire.
I look to see how I’m connected to certain female entrepreneurs I admire through other professional or personal networks. Sometimes I wait for an introduction, but often I just reach out via LinkedIn with a personal message. Female entrepreneurs have an understanding of how tough it can be out there, and I've found that most are very willing to meet up. I don’t go into any meeting directly looking for mentorship, but rather just for advice or to swap stories. Then, if I connect with a person, a mentor/mentee relationship forms naturally. You have to be bold, introduce yourself and meet as many people as you can! You never know what might come of it. -Lisa Curtis, Kuli Kuli Inc.
5. Schedule time for relationship building.
As an entrepreneur, you have the most hectic job in the world. But I encourage you to set aside time every week to connect with an old friend, colleague or peer. You don't have to have an agenda in mind, and in all honesty, you shouldn't. The idea here is to build solid, organic relationships with people who can advocate for you later on. Trust me — it pays off. It may take some time, but eventually, these relationships will help connect you with new mentors, and even potential clients. I even met my business partner, Alyssa, through a mutual connection. Taking the time to build the foundations of these relationships can make a huge difference in the course of your career! - Lindsay Mullen, Prosper Strategies
6. Always ask how you can help.
People want to mentor others like themselves. If you want to be mentored by a connector, you have to start being a connector yourself. Early in your career, that can feel difficult because you may not know that many people. But the key is to find simple ways to help others around you with the resources that you have. Everyone is looking for help in something, and you have to figure out how you can help them. The best mentors I have always end each conversation with: "How can I help you?" -Benish Shah, Raised Real
7. Don't be afraid to ask for guidance.
There are a number of services and communities that are available for women to find mentors. The key is to research online to find not just general mentorship programs but niche, industry-specific ones as well. The key when looking for mentors is to not be afraid to ask for help and guidance. Many people will be unavailable or unreachable. However, there are many established professionals who are happy to help. Don't take denials personally and do your research. Keeping asking until you find a mentor who has the right experience and is happy to help. -Marcela De Vivo, Mulligan Funding
