Page 41 - BusinessWest November 14, 2022

Development Council, and a number of other women, Gibaldi told BusinessWest.
“It arose out of the need for female-based mentorships and knowing there’s such great human capital here in the Valley. There are so many women who are seeking mentorship. And it’s not that we feel women can’t benefit from male mentorship, but there’s a unique connec- tion and bond when women are mentoring
work with VVM on starting organizations, busi- ness acceleration, and more. “I’m definitely going to tap into that experience.”
Paulette Piñero, a leadership coach and CEO of Unstoppable Latina, was another mentor on hand at the kickoff to meet her new mentee and network with the group. Her main focus is build- ing a strategic plan for a business, “and then building a brand to attract the right clients, the
or grow their professional network. New cohorts begin each fall and run through the spring — typically seven to eight months.
“The program grew over time, and we’ve had a series of other offerings, like networking brunch- es and educational offerings and workshops,” Gibaldi said. “But over time, we’ve really focused on the mentor-match part of the program.”
WIT leaders spend a month recruiting men- tors and mentees. First, the mentors rank several categories — including entrepreneurship, career development, networking, finance, executive presence, and work-life balance — based on their interest and experience.
“I would like to mentor somebody in my big- gest background, entrepreneurship,” Gibaldi said a few days before her pairing with Abare was finalized. “I’m also great at networking, so I put that as my second category. The mentees then
fill out a form that is basically a mirrored version of that, but they focus on the interests they have and where their biggest mentorship need is. Then we pair them.”
Once the matches are created, WIT gives little specific guidance to the pairs, beyond asking them to meet at least once a month, for at least an hour, in person or virtually — though the interactions can occur as often as they like.
“Once we’ve created the pair, it’s hands-off. There’s not a specific curriculum we follow; it’s based on the needs of the mentee,” Gibaldi said. “We do encourage the pair in the first meeting to create a set of goals and outline what they plan to work on over the next couple of months.”
Abare said the program’s women-mentoring- women model is a valuable one.
“I think, in general, there are unique chal-
“It’s very refreshing to be able to be vulnerable and talk to other women and realize that you’re not alone, and that we’re all trying to figure it out.”
right opportunities, and the right partners, with a strong brand voice,” as she explained to BusinessWest.
“I’ve been part of other Valley Ven- ture Mentors programs, and I’m very involved with the work they do — and I do mentoring for entrepreneurs for other programs, like EforAll and the Center for Women & Enterprise,” she said. “So when I had the opportunity to mentor with women and be part of
women — women understand the struggles, the unique challenges, and the system under which all of us are operating. There’s something unique about that relationship.”
The initial cohort in 2019 included 12 men- tor-mentee matches, which has increased to 25 pairings in the just-announced fifth iteration, with specific matches based on shared interest, mentor experience, and mentee need. In Abare’s case, Gibaldi can help her with various entrepre- neurship challenges as Abare builds Vircilitation Impact (the name is a play on ‘virtual facilita- tion’), a consulting business that works with training providers in the business world.
“I was really excited to be matched to her,” Abare said, minutes after meeting Gibaldi for the first time at a WIT mentor-match kickoff event on Nov. 2, adding that she’s excited about Gibaldi’s
an ecosystem of local entrepreneurs, of course I had to say yes.”
Lighting a Spark
The tagline of WIT is “igniting a women-led economy,” and the program is essentially a com- munity of female innovators and trailblazers with the common goal of supporting other women
in their professional and entrepreneurial aspira- tions. Members include entrepreneurs, profes- sionals, students, educators, and business lead- ers at all stages of their careers. From the initial meetings of 30 women in 2015, WIT has grown to encompass more than 350 women.
The mentor-match program aims to provide mentoring that helps women navigate their busi- ness or career, develop key competencies, and/
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