Mentors

Last night we graduated the second group of women entrepreneurs from the ATHENA Power Link program. If you’re not familiar with it, ATHENA PowerLink is a wonderful program that mentors women-owned businesses. At Rollins College, we’re the host of this effort in Central Florida, but the program also exists in 26 other cities across the country through the work of ATHENA International. As I listened to our graduating entrepreneurs talk about their experiences in the program, I was struck by how such a simple concept---mentoring--- can product such huge dividends. I was quoted a few months ago in a story on mentoring in Entrepreneur magazine, and that piece is a reminder to all entrepreneurs that one of the best ways to build a successful business is to have mentors who can provide advice, guidance, and a swift kick to the backside when you really need it.