This document provides guidance on how to effectively build mentor relationships. It defines a mentor as an experienced advisor who shares their time and expertise to help someone advance personally or professionally. It outlines five steps to becoming a great mentee: 1) Clarify your needs and goals, 2) Seek out potential mentors through networking, 3) Ask them to mentor you by sharing what skills you want to learn, 4) Agree on terms of the relationship such as frequency of meetings, and 5) Thank your mentor. The document provides tips for each step, such as getting specific about skills needed, having informational interviews, and doing assigned homework. It emphasizes the importance of communication, honesty and doing the work required as a mentee.

1. How to Build Effective
Relationships w/ Your
Caroline Cummings
Venture Catalyst
caroline@oregonrain.org

2. What is a mentor?
Someone with a skill you desire who is willing to
share their time and expertise with you to help you
advance personally or professionally.
An experienced and trusted advisor.
They don’t get paid – that’s a Professional Coach!

3. Become a great mentee!
1. Clarify
2. Seek
3. Ask
4. Agree
5. Thank

4. Clarify your needs:
• Why do you want a mentor?
• Do you know what you don’t
know?
• Get specific
• Choose some skills you want
to learn
• You’ll probably need two
mentors
• Etc…

5. What I know: What I don’t know?
 Programming
 Graphic Design
 Interview Skills
 PPT Slides
 …
 Making cold calls
 Digital Marketing
 Fundraising
 Public Speaking
 …
I am in the business of
_____________________.

6. Seek out mentors:
• Networking events
• Meet-ups
• Linkedin (ask for intros)
• Ask Friends/Family
• Make cold calls (or ask for intro)
• Don’t just seek out someone you
admire – they must have a specific
skillset you need exposure to
• Make the intention to find one…

7. Date Before You Mentor!

8. Ask them to mentor you:
• If you can’t ask – you can’t sell!
• Be ready to share what it is about
this person that you want to get
exposure to
• Sometimes the word “mentor” scares
people (advise/coach)
• Share who you are and what skills
you’re missing to be successful
• Have they mentored before?

9. Agree on terms:
• How often?
• What term?
• Rules of engagement?
• What if scenarios
• Types of things they’ll
ask you to do?
• What success looks like
in the relationship?
• Etc…

10. Dos and Don’ts of Being
an Awesome Mentee
DO:
 Be honest
 Communicate
 Be assertive
 Be creative
 Do the work!
DON’T:
 Ask to sign NDAs
 Disappear or flake out
 Hold back/Withhold info
 Stay if it’s not working
 Ask for money!

11. Do the homework!
• Set-up an informational
interview
• Write a one-page plan
• Write a pro/con list
• Interview a CEO…
• Find a non-profit to support
• Research a topic
• Read a book
• Join a networking group
• Find another mentor
• …

12. Thank your mentor(s):

13. Where/How I will
seek out mentors…
#1:
________________________________
__
#2:
________________________________
__

15. Comfort Zone =
A type of mental conditioning
that causes a person to create
and operate mental boundaries

19. Fear

20. Comfort
Zone
# 5 Deep Water
# 4 Financial Problems
# 3 Insects and Bugs
# 2 Heights
# 1 Public speaking

21. Comfort
Zone
Public
Speaking
Making
Cold
Calls
Pitching
Media
Asking
For a
Raise

22. A Healthy
Dose of Anxiety

23. Anxiety can improve
performance…
…but, if you step beyond your
optimum performance zone…

24. How to do it?

26. Unleash Your Inner Hero

27. I way I’m going to step outside
of my comfort zone is…

28. Go Find Your
Caroline Cummings
Venture Catalyst
caroline@oregonrain.org