About the Program
Our mentoring program is an 8-month program, where small businesses will be paired with a mentoring “board,” to help them grow their company. Mentors and their mentor “boards” will be paired together through a selection process, facilitated by the Turner Center for Rural Vitality.
Who can apply?
For this initial program, we’ll be selecting 5 mentees. The small businesses applying should:
- Have less than 20 employees
- Be privately owned
- Be in operation for 5 years of less
Preference will be given to businesses in Pulaski Square. Each business may only submit one application. Co-owners are allowed to apply as a single business.
How much does the program cost?
Nothing! This program is designed to benefit the participants and provide additional resources at no cost. Thriving small businesses helps our entire community.
What is expected of mentees?
Be honest, be open, and be willing to learn. Your mentors want to help you grow your business, and the best way to do that is by sharing your challenges and opportunities. To help do that, mentees will be asked to prepare an agenda for each session, and send it out in advance of the meeting. The agenda should detail things that you’d like to learn.
We’ll also ask you to occasionally provide feedback through surveys and short questionnaires, so that we can make this program better for the future.
What’s the time commitment?
Over the course of 8-months, the mentors and their mentees will meet 6 times. Each meeting will be between 45-60 minutes. Mentees are expected to prepare an agenda in advance, which mentors will review.