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Strengthening Kansas City-Area Businesses Through Mentoring
Most people don’t wake up one day just knowing how to successfully start, run and grow a business. We learn as we go from what we experience, of course, but most entrepreneurs don’t have all the answers right from the start. (Or ever, really.)
I’ve talked before about how important my mentors have been to me. From Matthew Mellor through the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP) to the peer mentors in the ScaleUP! program, learning from others who have been in my entrepreneurial shoes has been invaluable to me as I grew and then sold Corporate Technologies KC.
Now, it’s time for me to give back and share what I’ve learned with others in the Kansas City entrepreneurial community. I’m one of the newest mentors in the Entrepreneurial Center of Johnson County’s (ECJC) Growth Mentoring Service (GMS).
I’m downright thrilled about this opportunity. GMS is a straightforward, no-fluff program built to connect Kansas City area founders with a dedicated team of seasoned business leaders, executives, and serial entrepreneurs to guide them through the complexities of business growth.
How GMS works
Each founder works with a team of mentors to ensure they can access a deep, diverse range of experience to help guide their business. Once a month, mentors meet with their mentee — but with a unique spin you don’t always see in mentoring programs.
We take the Socratic approach of asking questions to clarify strategies that guide founders to their own insights. We focus not on “Do as I did,” but instead on “What do you think? What outcomes do you expect from that strategy? What could go right or wrong with that approach?” I like this method because it lets us share our expertise without preaching or mandating — GMS mentors truly guide our mentees.
If you’re thinking of becoming a mentor like me, I really do encourage you to get involved. It’s never a bad idea to widen your network, and the impact you can have is tremendous. ECJC accepts applications throughout the year, so you can apply anytime.
If you’re running a growing Kansas City business, you can also apply to become a mentee at any time during the year. Applicants should be running a business in the Kansas City metro that does $100K+ in annual sales.
Best-fit mentees are coachable, have their financials in order, are ready to scale, and want to be actively engaged in the mentoring relationship. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen your network while you’re building your business through mentorship. All types of businesses are accepted, and there’s even a specific sub-group for growing Kansas City software companies.
Corporate Technologies supports growing Kansas City businesses
Scaling a business is no easy feat, and we know that strong IT is an important part of that effort. Corporate Technologies has a wide range of services to support Kansas City area businesses as they grow.
From network assessments to cybersecurity services to help desk expertise, we have the technology know-how you need to thrive as an entrepreneur. Tell us about your needs, and we’ll work on them together.