From One Woman’s Success to the Next

When a seasoned, more experienced member of an organization takes on guiding someone under “their wing,” they open doors for a new entrepreneur. Through a relationship built on trust, communication, and respect, the mentoring relationship guides the mentee through the ropes of organizational socialization. At the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, we offer virtual and in-person mentoring to provide our PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® students opportunity to develop their business skills and challenge themselves as women entrepreneurs. The benefits of mentoring go way beyond the lessons the mentee takes away; it is a two-way relationship where both parties give and take.

“As business owners, we share similar challenges,” said Kelly Kunst, 2021 PTB mentor. Having a mentor to guide you is one way to stay on track to reaching your goals. A mentor is someone to help advise and direct you through challenges. “I enjoy how Kelly is caring towards my business and is helping me target my marketing strategies,” said Marie Clarisse Mfurayabo, 2021 PTB mentee. Marie’s openness to exchange ideas in meetings and determine what best moves to make in challenging situations builds her self-confidence as a business owner.

Marie is a 2021 PTB student introduced to eMentor Kelly Kunst, a GS Wealth Management certified financial planner and investment advisor from Dallas, TX. After being paired with her eMentor, Marie has thrived on learning skills to fulfill her business goals. Kelly helped Marie put together a list of marketing strategies and human resource policies to strengthen Golf Montana Solutions internal and external issues. Having the guidance and encouragement of a trusted mentor provides Marie with a broad range of professional and personal benefits. 

While Marie benefits from valuable development opportunities, mentoring is more than a transfer of advice, insight, and knowledge. There’s no wrong way to provide mentoring. Every mentor/mentee relationship is unique and sometimes, support is all a PTB student needs. The overall benefit to us all is having a front row seat to viewing the success and professional development of a bright, dedicated woman committed to creating an empowerment story of her own.