Impact Mentorship Program

Mentoring is a partnership that gives individuals the opportunity to have the guidance and direction from professionals who are willing to share their personal knowledge, skills, and experiences to promote success and personal development for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Hispana Realizada Foundation’s Impact Mentoring Program is a key component of its mission to provide the tools, training, and resources to help Hispanic women become successful business owners and leaders in their community.

This Charter is intended to provide Program members with an overview of the Impact Mentorship Program, guidelines for the implementation of the Program, and an understanding of what is required for participation. 

The Impact Mentorship Program will provide mentees an opportunity to gain insight from experienced entrepreneurs and business professionals, and is designed to foster an environment where Hispanic Women can start a business, cultivate a growth mindset, and increase collaboration and communication through our mentor network.

The Impact Mentorship Program will help build up the talent of the next generation of Hispanic Women Business Owners and Community Leaders while attempting to provide opportunities not previously available.

Mentoring is a partnership, where the mentor and mentee work collaboratively in a mutually beneficial relationship. Mentoring is the process of providing personalized assistance and guidance to a mentee based on the mentee’s individual needs. This may include, but is not limited to, skill and knowledge development, coaching, networking, and key relationship introductions.

The mentoring relationship should ideally be based on openness, respect, trust, and a willingness to learn and share. Both the mentor and mentee should respect the confidentiality of the relationship. It is the goal for mentors to help mentees maximize their professional potential. Mentors can offer advice on how to handle challenges, offer insight about a specific need, and introduce mentees to networks within the industry. Both the mentor and the mentee bring different perspectives to the process, and both should gain from the relationship. Therefore, both parties are equally accountable for the success of the relationship.

Participants in the Impact Mentorship Program should be aware that certain characteristics lend themselves to a successful mentoring relationship.

Mentors require patience, listening skills, a positive outlook about their own accomplishments, and those of the organization with which they are affiliated, encouraging excellence in others, and accepting and understanding the views of others. A qualified mentor will be able to exercise good judgment and set realistic targets and action plans with the mentee. Likewise, mentees can gain many benefits from participating in a mentoring program, and to do so, must remain a responsible partner in the process. They should take time to identify goals, show initiative, and follow through with suggestions and tasks. Mentees should be considerate of the mentor’s time, be prompt with communication and listen carefully to the mentor’s advice. Most importantly, the mentee should take advantage of the opportunities provided and show appreciation towards the mentor.

The mentors and mentees will be expected to develop an Impact Mentorship Plan which includes core concepts such as skills, activities, and experiences framed as actions for the mentee. A sample Mentorship Plan, which includes suggested discussion topics, will be provided to participants as a starting point.

The action plan is designed to facilitate ongoing professional learning and development but may be customized to the individual needs and personal goals of the mentee. The Impact Mentorship Plan will serve as an evaluation tool to assess the Impact Mentorship Program’s process and success.

Mentors and mentees shall engage in a minimum of two one-hour meetings per month, in person, by videoconference or telephone, and complete the selected list of actions in the Impact Mentorship Plan.

Participating in more than the minimum number of meetings is encouraged. Engaging in additional meetings fosters a more meaningful relationship between the mentor and mentee, producing a more valuable learning experience.

A pool of mentors and mentees will be identified by the Hispana Realizada Foundation Impact Mentorship Program Committee through the utilization of volunteers and referrals from the Hispanic Business Community, as well as other business owners in the same industry.

The Hispana Realizada Foundation will provide administrative support for mentor-mentee communications, and help participants track their meetings and progress. After going through an appropriate vetting process, mentors and mentees will be paired and asked to meet to set expectations and goals for the relationship. It is suggested that the mentee initiate the first meeting by contacting the mentor directly and setting an agenda.

Generally, the first meeting should be informal, spending some time getting to know each other and discussing goals for the enhancement of knowledge, skills, and resources. The mentor should be available to meet and be prepared to talk about goals and expectations for the partnership. It is suggested that the participants discuss ideas and strategies for ways to help achieve the mentee’s goals.

Throughout the mentoring relationship, the parties should re-examine expectations, review progress, and create plans for moving forward in the future. It is recommended that the mentor and mentee meet more regularly during the initial stages of the relationship. However, the frequency of meetings will depend on the expectations of each party. Time commitments should be determined at the beginning stages of the relationship.

The success of the Hispana Realizada Foundation Impact Mentorship Program depends upon experienced and reputable business leaders, who are willing to commit the time to volunteer as Mentors so that they may convey strategies and best practices for their mentees.

Effective mentors value teaching and have a genuine desire to help Hispanic Women-Owned Businesses be successful. Mentors must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with their mentees.

Before agreeing to serve as a Mentor, the Hispana Realizada Foundation Impact Mentor Program Committee will evaluate if the applicant has the skills needed to guide and teach a prospective Mentees, if they can devote the requisite time to the activities and experiences as required by the Impact Mentorship Plan, and if they can demonstrate they have the business acumen needed to serve as a mentor. Moreover, the qualifications set forth below are standards that must be met to serve as a Mentor. 

The Mentor must:  

• Have owned a business for at least 10 years. or have been a senior corporate executive (VP level or higher) 
• Be respected among peers in the Hispanic Business community.
• Exhibit patience and listening skills;  
• Have a positive outlook about their own accomplishments and the organization with which they are affiliated;  
• Encourage excellence in others, while accepting and understanding the views of others. 

The purpose of the Hispana Realizada Foundation Impact Mentorship Program is to elevate the competence, professionalism, and success of Mentees.

Specifically, the mentoring relationship should:  

• Foster the development of the mentee’s practical skills and increase their business knowledge.
• Create a sense of pride and integrity in the Hispanic community.
• Improve the Mentee’s professional ability and judgment 

The Mentee must:  

• Have a positive attitude and be will and open to the guidance of the mentor, and who desires mentorship.
• Be an aspiring Hispanic Women entrepreneur or Hispanic Woman who has owned a business for 3 years or less.
• Identify goals and show initiative and follow through with suggestions and tasks;  
• Be considerate of the mentor’s time and return phone or email messages promptly;  
• Listen carefully to the mentor’s advice;  
• Take advantage of the opportunities provided and show appreciation for the mentor.