Getting the Most from Speed Mentoring

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Ingredients:

  • Young entrepreneurs
  • Two hours on a Saturday
  • A cohort of accomplished Denver professionals dedicated to their community
  • The incredible AmeriTowne location known to 5th graders all over Colorado

Directions:

  • Mix well on Saturday, February 21st
Maya talks with attorneys about her business.

Maya talks with attorneys about her business.

“Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximize their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.” – Eric Parsloe

We held our first ever Speed Mentoring event a few weeks ago, and it was a hit!  The adult mentors arrived despite some snow flurries and got settled into different shops in Ameritowne. The young business owners came prepared with packets filled with questions for the mentors and examples of their products. Each young person had the opportunity to meet with mentors in 15 minute sessions.

What they learned

Sweet Bee Sisters discuss packaging and marketing.

Sweet Bee Sisters discuss packaging and marketing.

Izzy, age 10, founder of Charming Charms, practiced business professionalism with eye contact and a firm handshake, and she was sure to ask mentors for the business cards. The Sweet Bee Sisters, Lily, 14, Chloe, 12, Sophie, 10, brought in their beeswax lip balm and lotion bars and got valuable feedback about packaging and how to increase sales. Maya, 11, is expanding her business, Maya’s Boutique Bows, and discussed many aspects of how to support her efforts through branding, marketing, and pricing. Sapphire, 13 of Sapphire’s Enchantment, took away the lesson of how important it is to have a social media presence to promote her business.

Awesome activity from the UPS team!

Awesome activity from the UPS team!

Team building fun

All mentors and mentees took a break half way through the event for some team building and friendly competition organized by our friends and sponsors from UPS. Kids and adults were teamed up to complete an obstacle course.  Tasks included blowing up a beach ball, assembling a balsa wood airplane to fly across the room, yo-yoing, and packing a UPS box ready for shipment.   A great time was had by all!

A big thank you to our mentors and friends at UPS for supporting a great young entrepreneur event!

  • Melissa Akaka, Daniels College of Business
  • Angela Morrison, Dorsey Whitney
  • Hannah Van Petten, Kassi Mohlenkamp, Dave Loya, and Bobby McGillvray, UPS
  • Chuck Born, Voco Creative
  • Marion Mariathasan, SoRewarding
  • Andrew Cole, Go Code Colorado
  • Nick Massie, Colorado Enterprise Fund
  • Keri Blair, Keri Blair Image Consulting
  • Kate Puckett, Hasan Legal
  • Heidi Jewell, Voco Creative
  • Theresa Meier Conley, Daniels College of Business

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