When you indicate your interest in the mentor program, you’ll be added to the distribution list for mentor communications. You’ll be invited to attend the next regularly scheduled mentor meeting (typically the 3rd Wednesday of each month) to introduce yourself, meet other mentors, and learn about the program. Prior to the meeting, you’ll receive a meeting reminder, agenda, and information on ventures that will be presenting.
After the presentations, mentors meet in a private session to decide whether to assemble mentor teams. When teams are formed, a team leader is selected and team members are introduced to the entrepreneur at the conclusion of the meeting.
Mentors are not required to volunteer for teams. It is important that team assignments be a good fit for your expertise, interests, and availability. Mentors often attend meetings for several months before volunteering. Others offer their specialized (financial, legal, industry-specific) expertise to teams on an as-needed basis.
Mentor Team Engagements
The team leader will convene the first meeting. At that meeting, the objectives of the engagement will be determined and key milestones and goals will be set with the entrepreneur. Typically, mentor teams work with an entrepreneur for six months and have six to eight in-person meetings.
Mentors are strongly discouraged from meeting individually with entrepreneurs. Every meeting should include all available members of the team to keep communications and advice consistent. Separate meetings reduce the effectiveness of the team. Mentor teams are advisory; entrepreneurs make all final decisions.
Paid Consultants & Professional Service Providers
At the invitation of the entrepreneur, you are welcome to attend mentor team meetings as part of the venture team if you are a paid consultant or service professional (attorney, accountant, etc.). Paid professionals are not included on mentor teams. CIE mentors, regardless of their professional credentials and areas of expertise, are volunteers offering good faith services without compensation when on a mentor team.