Mentor Onboarding

Agenda

• Introductions
• What is Wintry Mix
• Program Details
• Mentor Mindset
• Questions

Mission and Vision

IGNITE:

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We exist to spark careers, rekindle ambitions and elevate those who self identify as women and nonbinary folks with an emphasis on prioritizing BIPOC talent in the Minneapolis-St. Paul marketing and advertising community.

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CONNECT:

Our mentorship program creates space for women to forge the relationships that will help them rock their careers.

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What

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The Wintry Mix mentorship program is a six-month-long commitment for women and non-binary individuals working in creative fields in the Twin Cities who are craving female mentorship outside the workplace.

HOW IT WORKS

We start recruiting mentors and mentees every fall. Once we have everyone signed up we kick things off with a big connection bash where you’ll meet your match.

Throughout the fall and into the spring, you’ll meet with your match each month. To help you deepen these relationships, we host bimonthly happy hours and provide content to inspire conversations.

Wintry Mix Team

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AMANDA ZWEERINK (SHE/HER), PRESIDENT

MICHAELA CLUBB (SHE/HER), VICE PRESIDENT

KAYLA POLLARD (SHE/HER), PROGRAMMING CHAIR

ELIZA GREEN (SHE/HER), COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR

ALEX LEAHY (SHE/HER), OPERATIONS CHAIR

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WM Community

1. Monthly Newsletter: Look for a newsletter with key dates, best practices and community events you may want to check out!

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• Website: Keep track of Wintry Mix and community events. Submit events of your own: wintrymixmsp.com/mentorship-events

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• Wintry Mix Happy Hours: time to network with the larger group throughout the program and build community.

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• Slack channel: Connect with your other fellow mentors in the Slack channel

Ice Breaker

Pick 2-3 words that describe who you are without saying what you do?

Program logistics

What did you say yes to?

Program Timeline

• October 4-7: Mentor Training
• October 17: Mentee Training
• October 22: Pairing Email
• October 24: Kickoff Happy Hour
• November: Fearless Workshop
• January 16: Third Thursday Happy Hour
• February 20: Third Thursday Happy Hour
• March 20: Third Thursday Happy Hour
• April 17: Closing Happy Hour

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Expectations

1. Maintain at least one monthly touchpoint with your mentee
2. Provide constructive feedback and guidance on mentee's goals
3. Share relevant industry insights and experiences
4. Actively listen and offer support for mentee's challenges
5. Help expand mentee's professional network through introductions when appropriate

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Ecosystem

Mentors should contact Wintry Mix staff if:

1. Their mentee consistently fails to respond or communicate
2. They're unable to maintain the monthly meeting commitment
3. There are significant personality conflicts or mismatches
4. They need guidance on addressing sensitive topics

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Mentors should reach out to other mentors in the Wintry Mix program when:

1. The mentee’s needs are outside their specific area of expertise
2. They want to collaborate on problem-solving for complex mentee challenges
3. They wish to share or learn about successful mentoring strategies
4. They need industry-specific guidance in certain creative fields
5. They want to expand the mentee's network within the creative community

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Mentor Mindset

How to show up?

Energy Management

Phase 1: Program Initiation Mentee Energy:

• Excitement and anticipation
• Nervousness about the unknown
• High motivation to engage and learn

Phase 2: Early Engagement Mentee Energy:

• Settle into a rhythm
• Focused energy on learning and building relationship

Phase 3: Holiday Season / Mid-Program Mentee Energy:

• Potential dip due to external stressors (holidays, work commitments)
• Possible wavering in communication or engagement
• Renewed motivation as the new year begins

Phase 4: Deep Dive Mentee Energy:

• Steady engagement with occasional peaks during events
• Seeking more specific guidance and connections

Phase 5: Program Conclusion Mentee Energy:

• Mix of accomplishment and potential sadness as program ends
• Reflection on growth and learnings

Best Practices

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Coaching outside of your comfort zone?

1. Focus on transferable skills
• Identify and emphasize universal skills that apply across roles
• Help mentees recognize how their skills can be applied in a variety of settings
2. Ask powerful questions
• Use open ended questions to guide mentees in finding their own voice
• Encourage critical thinking and self-reflection
3. Leverage your network
• Connect mentees with professionals in their specific field when needed
• Facilitate introductions to provide exposure
4. Share general leadership practices
• Offer insights on leadership style concepts that are appropriate to where the mentee is on their journey
• Discuss strategies for effective communication, time management, and problem solving
5. Provide a fresh perspective
• Offer an outsider's view that can share a new perspective that the mentee can reflect on
• Share guidance on navigating career paths

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Testimonial

Hear from our community

QUESTIONS