“The most important quality to me is INTEGRITY, This carries over for everything you do, thoughtful decision making, does your company, your product and your organization stay true to its purpose and values does it fulfill the promise that it sets out to achieve.

I want my mentees to be PREPARED. This means that whether you have the answers or not, you know how to go after what you need to get to the best possible outcome and make more good decisions than bad. vs Not prepared – or not ready for success, not able to take advantage of opportunities and not willing to see and avoid pitfalls. PREPARED, means a mentee has done their homework and is in a strong position to move forward toward realistic goals.”

— Jane Markell

“Openmindedness. Willingness to listen, understand and explore thoughts and ideas.

I want a mentee to walk away with resilience. It’s important for the mentee to understand that they will weather a lot of ups and downs.”
—Manthi Nguyen

“A mentee who is open-minded to new approaches and directions to reach goals contributes to a successful mentor/mentee relationship and results. Entrepreneurs who have a willingness to reset, adapt and move quickly is desirable, particularly with early stage companies

I’d like my mentee to understand the benefits that a foundational marketing and communications program can bring to a growing business, and walk away with an understanding of the resources and tools available to bootstrapping startups and those working on a shoestring budget.” — Sheryl Seitz

“1. Focus – Having a clear goal and target in mind before the program begins. The clearer the goal, the better the outcome will be.

2. The Magic Words – Brilliant founders often have so many ideas and such a grand vision, that it’s difficult for them to tell their story to different audiences. Forget the “elevator pitch”—often times, you don’t even have that long. What is the first sentence or the first word out of your mouth that will immediately make your audience interested? Rule of thumb: Pitching what it is you’re doing to 100 individuals in different settings will help you understand the exact magic words that work.”
—Vincent Chang

“Ultimately you need to see energy or “fire in the belly” as I call it.

Lots of great brains and ideas out there but it takes a lot of fuel to take an idea to reality and across the proverbial chasm. Need to see the commitment and willingness to dig deep and go beyond…..A broader understanding of what they are doing – the potential upside/downside, timing, etc.
A historical perspective, some context that should ultimately create a clearer path to achieving goals.”
—Keith Newman

“An open mind. While it’s great to be confident and focused, sometimes the “answer to a question” is to be sure you’re asking the right question.

Confidence. Taking a deep dive into a challenge and developing a new strategy should be motivating and exciting.” —Leah Edwards