As we reflected on National Mentoring Month, we wanted to go to the very people who facilitate meaningful mentorships between experienced pro-bono Business Advisors and eager small business owners. Our team of Relationship Managers are responsible for matching our versatile group of mentors to the small business owners who can best benefit from their expertise. They know our clients better than anyone and they truly understand how mentorship can transform you — whether you are an advisor or an advisee.
Mentorship goes beyond knowledge sharing and advice – it presents an opportunity to connect and establish a 1:1 relationship, provide accountability, act as a platform to share goals and challenges, celebrate successes, foster friendships and grow professional networks, among countless other benefits. PCV’s Business Advising program provides small business owners with an opportunity to connect with and learn from a variety of professionals with backgrounds aligned to their business needs. Through our monthly check-ins, I’ve witnessed first-hand the progress entrepreneurs have made toward their goals – their gratitude for the program and their advisor shines through, and is a constant source of inspiration and a reminder of the many benefits of mentorship. – Beverly Zambrano, Relationship Manager
Entrepreneurs walk a high and often lonely path. Small businesses drive over 50% of the United States’ economic prosperity, and in turn, shape the communities and cultures that make this country unique. All the while, many do so with no professional guidance – a reason why so many fail within their first few years. As both an advisor and a Relationship Manager at PCV, I have seen firsthand how mentorship is a proven way to create real-world successes for business owners who so sorely need them. Providing guidance and lending your ear to an entrepreneur is one of the quickest ways to affect positive change among our country’s most valuable assets. – Conor Hassett, Relationship Manager & Advisor
I believe that mentorship can literally save a business. It’s the difference between a struggling 5-year operation and a 20-year business being passed down to future generations! I have witnessed the formation of great partnerships and authentic friendships. Small businesses have been referred to as the “engine” of the U.S. economy, as they are a vital component. The advisors working with Pacific Community Ventures are a part of that movement to boost the economy from within and what a rewarding one it is! – Kara Norris, Relationship Manager
Small business owners aren’t provided the same resources as larger corporations to grow their business, hire teams, or secure funding. As a business owner, it is rewarding to also be a part of the team responsible for initiating meaningful and productive partnerships to assist in reaching the growth goals for entrepreneurs. To witness the evolution and development of not only the business, but also the entrepreneurs and advisors that we partner inspires me to continue to take strides for maturing in my own business. – Telitra “TK” Burtin-Johnson, Relationship Manager
As a member of PCV’s Business Advising program, it brings me great joy creating an inclusive ecosystem of entrepreneurship and fostering productive relationships between business advisors and small business owners. Mentorship has proven to be essential for small business success and the selflessness and gratitude expressed by our community fuel my tank each and every day. I’ve seen mentorships blossom into life-long friendships, open pathways to opportunities, and everything in between and all just as valuable as the next. – Daniel Wada, Lead Relationship Manager
Mentorship to me is an opportunity for small business owners to build their support circle and their safety net. Forbes.com did a study back in 2018 that said 50% of small businesses fail within five years, and that same study found that only 22% of business owners had a mentor in the early years of their business. Can you imagine if 100% of those business owners had a mentor? Being a part of connecting small business owners to a trusted mentor means giving them a greater opportunity for success – it’s inspiring to watch the hard work, the progress, and the success, from the first meeting until the last. – Danielle Moseley, Lead Relationship Manager
I used to spend a lot of time fixing cars and, overwhelmingly, my experience was that most car maintenance is spending 4 hours figuring out how to fix something in 4 minutes. Now that I’m a Relationship Manager at PCV, I see a very similar story in the small business owners who come to us seeking mentorship. They’re missing crucial information, they don’t know where to look, and they don’t have the capacity to spend hundreds of hours figuring out solutions that they know should only take a few minutes.
This is where our mentors come in – PCV mentors represent a wealth of collective knowledge to help small business owners solve problems and get back to providing for their community. If you’re looking for a reason to become a mentor, this is it! And if you think your experience is too limited or niche, don’t fret! You don’t need to be a CEO of a multi-million dollar company to be a good mentor. We have hundreds of small-business owners seeking advice about their own niche topics- everything from how to hire their first employee to where to source packaging for their bakery’s bread. We don’t expect you to know everything, but if you add your drop of knowledge to the collective pool, we’ll find someone who can benefit from your experience! – Gabriel Taylor, Relationship Manager
Since starting at PCV, one thing I hear over and over again from small business owners is how they are so happy to have found our program and never knew this kind of support existed. And recently I have had the pleasure of seeing it come full circle. I was fortunate to speak with someone returning to PCV to be an advisor after having been a small business owner in our program years ago. To see someone succeed…..then come back….to give back….says a lot about how mentorship can make an impact. – Patty Wagstaff, Relationship Manager
From a young age, I’ve always had a passion for helping people. Working with PCV as a Relationship Manager has allowed me to fulfill that need in so many ways. Working hand in hand with small business owners in need of guidance has shown me just how important it is to have great advisors who can offer not only their advice but their time and commitment to help our community of small businesses succeed. “It takes a village” extends to so much more than raising children. Together we help create a community of small businesses that have the chance to succeed, grow and have a new generation of small businesses that have support from a “village” of advisors who can provide them with the tools and expertise to succeed. – Ana Leo, Relationship Manager