Francine Clingan and Joe Lele have participated in the Australian Businesswomen’s Network’s MentorNet Program. For more information on mentoring, please click here.
The Mentoree: Francine Clingan
Company: Soto Skin Why did you become a mentoree? I was in the process of deciding to grow my business (modern organic skin care) as I knew it had great potential. I was, however, very aware of the fact I needed to ‘step up’ with my planning, time management and priorities. I did look at a few programs however I chose MentorNet as it offered a structured webinar series on the business planning process, along with the more personal mentor sessions with someone who had ‘been there, done that’. What were you hoping to get from the experience? I was hoping by the end to have an actionable business plan, with improved confidence and skills to make it happen. On a more personal level I was looking for support, honest feedback and inspiration.
What is the biggest challenge of being a mentoree?
Perhaps the biggest challenge for me was incorporating what I was learning into action, rather than slipping back into old habits. Another was putting myself out there for others to see – for example blog on strengths and weaknesses. What is the most powerful thing you’ve learned? I learned so much in this course! One of the best things was understanding the power of a great network. Just the word was terrifying to me at the beginning, however by the end I realised what a wonderful, beneficial way to connect with like-minded people. I also loved the web 2.0 / social media module – prior to this MentorNet I thought Facebook was just for kids to put up stupid photos. What would you say to anyone considering being a mentoree in the MentorNet program? I would say it is a fantastic way to inject structure into your business planning, and interact with other women in a similar position. It’s also a great opportunity to learn and receive guidance from someone who has run a successful business. How did MentorNet help you improve the performance of your business? The main improvement has been my approach to the business. I have a much stronger vision for Soto, and am gradually implementing all facets of the program to ensure my long-term success. Business is ever evolving and I understand far more clearly the importance of reviewing my plan on a regular basis. What process/systems have you introduced into your business since doing MentorNet to make boring (but important) aspects of doing business easier for yourself? I had put some important business tasks in the ‘too hard basket’, one of which was financial management. After the financial management module I contacted Karen at Money Penny’s – we had a great brainstorming session and put together a very useful budgeting spreadsheet. This has allowed me to look sensibly at various scenarios, for example comparing different % markup for each product, or effects of change in minimum order quantity. Any additional comments? MentorNet has been a fantastic experience for me. It was well run, professional and inspiring. Interacting in a ‘pod’ is a great way to communicate, and I always enjoyed connecting with Joe (mentor), and Biz (other pod member). It helped me face up to areas in my business that I had avoided, and highlighted where I need more help. Joe had great ideas around different ways for me to market Soto, and opened my eyes to opportunities I had barely dreamt of.
The Mentor: Joe Lele
Company: AccentU8 Marketing Why did you become a mentor? Due to some health challenges I had decided to go test how I would handle retirement. However, I wanted to keep an active interest in business from the comfort of my home office. So when the opportunity came to become a mentor with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network I jumped at the chance. What were you hoping to get from the experience? I thought that I had a lot to offer as I have had a number of businesses and I was well aware that I had not made the best choices at times in the past. I thought that I could pass on some of my knowledge that I had gained as to how to identify and make better choices. What is the biggest challenge of being a mentor? The most difficult part of being a mentor is to remember that it is not your business and while you may consider your advice to be the best course of action, it will not always be taken on board by the mentoree. You just need to detach emotional involvement from the process. What is the most powerful thing you’ve learned? I learnt that I was not ready for retirement and needed to get back into the business world and find new challenges for myself. What would you say to anyone considering being a Mentor in the Mentornet program? I would highly recommend it. The opportunity to work with enthusiastic and passionate business women as they take on their challenges is very inspiring. How did MentorNet help you improve the performance of your business? The fortnightly presentations on the various aspects of business made me refocus on the basics and build a business with the right foundations for growth. What process/systems have you introduced into your business since doing MentorNet to make boring (but important) aspects of doing business easier for yourself? We have built a virtual team to carry out the processes and low $ functions so that my partner and I can devote our time to building the business. Our time is spent either working directly with the clients on their needs and building relationships or managing the outsourced workflow. This creates great leverage in our business. Any additional comments? The MentorNet program is unique in the way it uses technology to connect the mentors and mentorees and allows access by all mentorees to all mentors in the program. It also reduces the time commitment to the program by removing any travel time from the equation, enabling maximum results for the time input.
