I watched the documentary Generation Startup about several entrepreneurs in Detroit and I highly recommend it. It’s available on Netflix.
The documentary is an unvarnished look at the highs, lows and middles of starting a business in Detroit, a city that is undergoing a restart itself. A couple of the businesses look on their way to success, a couple of founders struggle, and another entrepreneur decides to leave the startup he joined and take a full time job to help support his parents while working on a startup with his brother … all the stories are gripping and well told.
The reason Generation Startup is appearing on Mentorphile, however, has nothing to do with Detroit or or the documentary, but with one startup in particular: Women Rising.
Women Rising is a 501(c)3 web-based network that algorithmically matches women in male-dominated industries (especially tech) with peers and mentors once per month. Though these matches, women grow their network, get advice on questions they face in the workplace, and build lasting professional relationships.
The home page says it all: Studies show that mentors and friends determine your career path. Find that support group here:
Women Rising helps women find peers, find mentorship and mentor others.
Find Peers
Talk to other women who are as dedicated to their careers as you are. We employ our proven algorithmic process to create “mini-meetup” groups of three that are selected by peer groups, industry, and city.
Find Peers
Talk to other women who are as dedicated to their careers as you are. We employ our proven algorithmic process to create “mini-meetup” groups of three that are selected by peer groups, industry, and city.
Mentor Others
You don’t have to be a top executive at a Fortune 100 company, all you need is the experience to provide your mentee with beneficial guidance. Connect with other women interested in your position, and help other women attain the same career success as you. This program is not a full time commitment; you are able to chat with your mentee when it is convenient for you.
Women in business or tech join Women Rising by filling out a questionnaire. In the middle of each month they are matched with two other compatible women for a mini-meetup. Mentoring is often done over Skype due to the busy work schedules of mentors.
I’ve been thinking about how to build a platform for connecting founders to mentors and I’m glad to see that someone else has taken the plunge. One year ago Venture for America Alumna Kate Catlin built a web site and managed to get 125 women signed up. Since then she has generated a mailing list of almost 1,000 women and done 6 rounds of mentor and peer pairing and introduced hundreds of women to other women in their industry.
Women Rising has a campaign on Indiegogo. If you like what they are doing, please contribute.
Mentorphile 