Mentorship Support for Entrepreneurs

Mentee Mentorship Program Best Practices

  1. Provide your mentor with feedback. It can be very rewarding and satisfying to mentor and help a protégé to achieve his or her personal, professional, or educational goals. Mentors often don’t get feedback about the impact that they are having.

  • if you do follow a suggestion given by your mentor, then let him or her know how it worked out or what you did or what you learned

  • acknowledge the advice your mentor gave you and its impact on you

  • let them know about your accomplishments and how they have contributed to your success

  • let them know when you need help

  • share updates about successes, challenges, and milestones

  • if you’re comfortable, share updates about things not working in life and relationships

  • talk about your relationship

  • share examples of your work

  • celebrate life events together

2. Show your mentor respect for their time, interest, and expertise

  • call or email regularly to check in and update the prospective mentor on topics related to your initial meeting and your goals

  • show interest or enthusiasm in your mentor’s activities and interests

  • be an active listener and ask questions

  • schedule a regular meeting

  • share more about your career, academic, and/or personal goals

  • ask for advice, maybe even take notes and follow-up with suggestions

3. General tips

  • provide mentor with up-to-date contact information, particularly if you move or change your email address or phone number

  • provide mentor with background information about you including your accomplishments, interests, hobbies, resources, life experiences, and challenges

  • send periodic emails to check in with their mentor

  • share updates

  • show up and be on time for meetings and end meetings on time, be respectful of their time

  • if an emergency comes up and you can’t meet, then let your mentor know in advance

  • be respectful of your mentor’s time, interest, and opinions

  • show gratitude and appreciation (say “thank you”) and ask about how they are doing

  • actively participate in decision-making, especially about how you will spend your time together let them know how they have helped you

  • talk through major decisions with them