Why did you decide to become a mentor?
I decided to become a mentor because I am passionate about helping others succeed in their careers. Having had mentors who supported me throughout my professional journey, I know how valuable it can be to have someone who can provide guidance and share their experiences. By becoming a mentor, I hope to give back and help others achieve their goals.
Being a mentor has also had a positive impact on my own career. It has allowed me to reflect on my experiences and learnings, and to share them in a meaningful way with others. In turn, this has helped me to develop my communication and leadership skills, as well as broaden my perspectives on different industries and challenges.
When I signed up to become a mentor, I had high expectations of the impact I could make. And while mentoring can be challenging at times, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeing the progress and growth of my mentees has been a source of great pride and motivation for me, and I look forward to continuing to support and guide others in their careers.
How did you get your career start?
I began my career as an engineer and underwent a rigorous professional development program for 3 years. While in this role, I was introduced to data analysis and found it to be an intriguing field. Some mentors taught me about freelancing, which I tried out for a while, but ultimately found myself drawn back to data analysis.
Through my work in data analysis, I discovered the field of product management, which I found to be a natural fit given my experience in engineering and data. I was fortunate to meet some bright minds in business school, with whom I started a small business. This experience taught me a great deal about entrepreneurship and business strategy, and helped me to further hone my product management skills.
Since then, I’ve continued to work in the startup world, taking on roles as a product and strategy lead. Through my experiences, I’ve learned the importance of collaboration, agility, and innovation in product development. I’m constantly seeking out new challenges and opportunities to learn, and I’m passionate about using my skills and expertise to create high-quality, scalable products that make a positive impact on users’ lives.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
As a mentor, my mentees usually come to me for guidance on a variety of topics related to their careers. These can range from career switch, development, and advancement, to skills development and product management, to navigating difficult work situations and building strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
In our mentorship sessions, I like to establish a structured approach that allows mentees to set goals and identify actionable steps to achieve them. We start by discussing their career aspirations and any challenges or roadblocks they may be facing. From there, we work together to develop a plan that outlines the steps they need to take to achieve their goals, including any skills or knowledge they need to develop or acquire.
In addition to providing guidance and support, I also believe it’s important to empower my mentees to take ownership of their careers and development. This means encouraging them to take risks, try new things, and to be open to learning from both successes and failures.
Ultimately, my goal as a mentor is to help my mentees grow and develop both personally and professionally, and to support them in achieving their goals and aspirations.
What’s been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
Imagine a story in which a mentor and mentee were matched through a membership program. During their first session, they discovered that they had a common friend and were both part of the indie hacking community in their city. The mentee had a pressing issue at their company where they did not know how to apply product analytics to drive growth and solve some engagement challenges.
The mentor quickly got to work, and in two sessions, they were able to drive up the mentee’s motivation and give them applicable tips on how to make the implementation smooth and successful. The mentor leveraged their own experience in product analytics and provided specific examples and actionable advice to the mentee. Together, they developed a plan to implement product analytics at the mentee’s company and measure the impact on engagement and growth. The mentee was grateful for the mentor’s guidance and support, and felt more confident in their ability to tackle the challenge at hand.
That actually happened to me!!
It is my favorite success story!!
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
Mentoring can be a great way to learn by teaching. As mentors share their knowledge and expertise with their mentees, they also learn to refine their own ideas and approaches. My mentees sometimes challenge me on topics that they are familiar with and like to tackle in unconventional ways. This can push me to think outside the box, explore new ideas, and challenge my assumptions. In this way, mentoring can be a two-way street that benefits both parties and leads to mutual growth and development.
I also like to meet and network with bright minds, regardless of their career level and status.