Page 42 - BusinessWest November 14, 2022

lenges that are presented to women in our cul- ture, in our society, and when we can understand that context with each other, I think it helps us provide more valuable insight so we can empower each other — because we know, even when it’s not said, some of the struggles and inhibitors, the things that might prevent us from taking a chance or taking a risk or asserting ourselves.”
That latter point is a key one, Abare noted, because women sometimes are not as assertive as men when it comes to stating their value proposi-
“We take good care pairing people up, and it shows when we have people continue to work together outside the cohort.”
tion — charging a high-enough fee for their work, for example.
“Research shows that men see themselves
as qualified even if they check two boxes,” she added. “Women think they’ve got to have every- thing checked before they take the initiative.”
Working through that process requires being vulnerable, Piñero added, and women often feel more at ease among their female peers.
“It’s very important to be able to have con- versations where we’re vulnerable with other women, so that they can understand what we’re going through, what are some of the obstacles that we face, what are some of the barriers that we face, and hear stories about how we were able
to overcome those obstacles so they don’t feel so alone,” she said.
“In my experience, you’re in so many spaces where you feel like you have to be perfect, and there’s this perception that, when you go into entrepreneurship, you should have it all figured out,” she went on. “And 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.”
Abare agreed. “I think that’s the unique thing about bringing women together in a space. We understand these things from an experiential per- spective, so we can empower each other.”
From Mentee to Mentor
Gibaldi said WIT has evolved over time, and even though it’s under the umbrella of VVM, it boasts its own community and serves its own unique need.
“It’s always been received really well, and we have increased the mentor and mentee partici- pation in the program; we have people with a lot of experience with social and intellectual capital participating,” she added. “It goes to show men- tors want to give back, and mentees want to get tapped into this network.”
One gratifying element is the number of pairs from previous cohorts who continue to work together, Gibaldi noted. “I think that’s a good reflection on how that curated mentor-match process really works. We take good care pairing people up, and it shows when we have people continue to work together outside the cohort.”
In addition, “another great indicator of success is the number of people who participate as men-
Paulette Piñero says women feel more at ease being vulnerable around other women.
tees and then return as mentors. We encourage people to go on that journey as well,” she added. “To be able to grow people and transition them from mentees to mentors is very powerful.” u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
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