The Forum
Mentor Program

Presented by

A Canadian Charity

When women entrepreneurs thrive, we all do

The Forum, a Canadian charity, has supported over 18,000 entrepreneurs since 2002 and is committed to making sure all self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs can build and sustain the success they envision.

Our mentor programs and deeply collaborative community work in tandem to meet you where you’re at and help you achieve your next milestone.

Our Impact, Scale and Reach

For over 20 years, we’ve been delivering real-world education and mentorship to help women entrepreneurs build successful businesses.

2,700+

PAIRINGS & COUNTING SINCE PROGRAM INCEPTION

supporting entrepreneurs nationwide

100+

Mentees paired per year nationwide, on average

About the Program

Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative®

$300 for 12 months of Mentorship

Find out what your business can accomplish with personalized insights from someone who’s been “through it all” before. The Mentor Program thoughtfully pairs self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs across Canada, in all stages of business, with experienced mentors who can offer practical guidance and support on the individual challenges aand opportunities your business is facing.

THE PROCESS

Step 1: Sign up

Using our online mentorship platform, you can create a profile and share your business details, goals and challenges so we can thoughtfully pair you with an ideal mentor to support you and your business. To cover the cost of administering the program, we do charge a fee to Mentees. The cost of the Mentor Program is $300.

Step 2: Matches offered

With the information you provide, we’ll be able to narrow down the field of potential matches -- based on your goals, values, personality, and individual preferences -- and will present you with 3 Mentors who are well suited to helping you take your business to the next level.

Step 3: Review matches

You can then review your options -- learning more about who each Mentor is & what they have to offer -- and rank your choices through the online platform. Your Mentor selections will be notified in order of choice so they can review your profile & accept the pairing if they feel it’s a good fit.

Step 4: Meet your Mentor!

Once paired, you can start scheduling your meetings with your mentor from directly within the platform. As the program is mentee-lead and this is a great way to stay organized and keep you moving forward. In the platform there are many resources and supports to guide you through the process, step-by-step.

Step 5: Mentorship begins

Over the course of the next 12 months, you’ll meet with your mentor for 1 hour per month - at a mutually agreeable time - providing an agenda for the conversation, offering progress updates, and leading the relationship by setting out clear goals and desired outcomes.

Step 6: Option to renew

At the end of the 12 months, you have the option, should you need it, to ask your mentor to extend your working relationship for a further 12 months at a discounted cost.

Step 7: Congrats! You're done!

Congratulate yourself! Reaching out and asking for help to take your business to the next level is smart, but also takes courage.

What could your business accomplish if you had personalized insights from someone who’s been “through it all” before?

Mentors move the needle for you & your business in very tangible ways

You need personalized 1:1 advice
From someone with a proven track record because you need first hand insights & tailored support.

You need someone to be accountable to
Because it’s hard to be your own motivator all the time. Feeling responsible to someone helps.

You need more connections & community
Because success is directly correlated to the relationships you earn & keep and you know that.

You need a champion & fierce supporter
So you can feel confident and empowered taking your next steps in business.

You need first hand, real-world insights
So you can learn from other people’s mistakes & avoid wasting important resources -- like time & money.

You need someone to bounce ideas off of
Because it’s hard to be objective about your own business & you could use an outside perspective

The Forum Mentor program has been funded in part through the Women's Entrepreneurship Strategy administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

“The Forum Mentor Program embodies the concept of women supporting women. Traditionally we have been taught to be competitive with one another, but this program works towards addressing this norm by facilitating Mentor-Mentee relationships that support women entrepreneurs to amplify their impact.”

ELAYNE MCIVOR
Catalyst Consulting Inc.

“Participating in The Forum Mentor Program has been a game-changer for me as an entrepreneur. It provided me with the confidence and validation I needed to trust my business instincts. The program has reinvigorated my focus and drive.”

ADOBEA FOLI
Adobea Foli Consulting

"I wouldn't be where I am today without The Forum Mentor Program. I’ve had two different long-term mentors who listened, shared their observations, knowledge, expertise, and connections. Through the ups and downs, they were a constant light of encouragement.”

LYNN WILLIAMS
The Lifestyle Protector™