Photo Credit: Sacramento Business Journal
By Shyanne Long, CSM
The Bizwomen Mentoring Monday event was held at the Sacramento State University Union Ballroom this year. There are 43 mentoring events by Business Journals throughout the country. During the introduction, it was shared that the Sacramento event was the third largest in size!
The first portion of the event consisted of mixing and mingling while enjoying some light refreshments. The sponsors had booths set up and they were handing out goodies while spreading the word about their organizations. Once everyone got settled in their seats, we were welcomed by the publisher of the Sacramento Business Journal. It was funny when he pointed out that he was the only man in the room. All the women looked around the room at each other and laughed. It was refreshing to see a room full of women varying in age, race, experience, and expertise.
Tina Reynolds, the founder and president of Uptown Studios, was the keynote speaker for Mentoring Monday. She offered a great sense of humor, confidence, honesty, and some helpful advice to the group. It was inspirational to hear her story and that many years of hard work paid off for her. One thing she said that stuck with me was that “we are all mentors.” We all have something to offer and can help people grow. Mentoring doesn’t have to just be about business. A mentor can support you through tough times in life, as well.
After Tina wrapped up her speech, the speed mentoring sessions began. All the mentors sat at tables and when you wanted to talk to a specific person, you’d line up to do so. Each session was seven minutes long and when the time was up, they’d ring a big bell.
Someone who stood out for me was Christine Mahon, the Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Associated General Contractors of California. She was in Sacramento’s Top 40 Under 40. I wanted to talk to her because I am studying communications in college and wanted to gain insight from someone who does it in their job every day. I gained specific tips and advice from her that I plan on using throughout my time in college.
I’d love to attend this event again next year. If you are considering going, I’d highly recommend it. I know it can be intimidating to talk to a lot of strangers, but the mentoring is well worth it–and the seven minutes flew by while speaking with the mentors!
About the Author: After completing the internship program, Shyanne is now an Associate Business Analyst for KAI Partners. She attends Sierra College and is studying Communications. Ms. Long plans on transferring to a university after completing her units at Sierra College. Shyanne is passionate about expanding her knowledge, working collaboratively, and making powerful connections. For fun, Shyanne enjoys spending time with her family, reading, listening to podcasts, volunteering, and (attempting) to recreate recipes she finds on Pinterest.