Business Mentorship Program

The Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce Mentorship Program is a FREE structured and organized program that pairs experienced individuals (mentors) with less experienced ones (mentees or protégés) to provide guidance, support, and the transfer of knowledge. The overarching goal is to connect knowledge seekers with knowledge bearers. As a protégé, these relationships can provide the opportunity to connect in meaningful ways with someone whose past experience can help navigate the challenges you may face in your career.

This opportunity is a benefit of membership with the Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce and is completely free.

Goals of Mentoring:

• To shorten the learning curve for newer businesses
• To educate & develop best business practices
• To impart & foster business ethics and industry customs
• To assist with improved services and products
• To improve the public perception of member businesses

Benefits for Protégé:

• A mentor is available to meet with protégé for dialogue
• mentoring continues business education and development
• Objective feedback on protégé's business practices
• Mentors provide protégés with additional expertise

Benefits for Mentor:

• Shaping the future of member businesses
• Personal satisfaction is created by "paying it forward"
• Giving back to the business community and the Lake Nona region
• Learning about new businesses from protégés

Expectations of Mentors and Protégés

• Each mentor and protégé team will meet one-on-one at least six (6) times during the calendar year
• Each Mentor Team will attend at least two (2) Chamber events together during the calendar year
• Each Mentor Team may also participate in other voluntary activities

Roles of Mentors:

• Coach/Educator
• Counselor/Advisor
• Networker

Suggestions for Mentors

• Do engage in the mentoring relationship prepared to exert energy and, from time to time, even to experience frustration
• Don’t expect Protégé to adopt your precise style
• Do make yourself available at identifiable times for questions
• Don’t be inaccessible or impatient
• Do work consciously on listening skills and create an atmosphere in which inquiries can be freely posed
• Don't avoid the harder questions requiring judgment, but avoid being judgmental
• Do accord due respect and confidentiality, if requested

Suggestions for Protégés

• Do be mindful of your mentor’s schedule
• Do initiate contact and ask for meetings with your mentor
• Do not schedule a mentoring meeting and fail to appear on time
• Do not take offense if your mentor is busy from time to time
• Do express gratitude for your mentor’s involvement
• Do not take for granted how hard it is to mentor others
• Do your part to develop the relationship
• Don’t quarrel with advice your mentor provides - listen well

Suggestions for Productive Meetings

• Have topics or specific questions in mind to discuss at meetings
• Discuss the major problems facing the Protégé
• Discuss with Protégé what they've learned or experienced since the last meeting

Click here to apply!