Mentoring: Playing It Forward
I am grateful during my life to have had world class business mentors who provided me guidance, insights, network connections and simply serve as a sounding board during my journey. Most of my mentors were extraordinary women (including my 87 years young Mom, Anne Ryan) who shattered the glass ceiling in business, industry, the arts and healthcare. During the the past 30 years I have "Played It forward" by mentoring more than 50 mentees over their careers and life.
Most of my mentees are women, "minorities", live outside the United States or immigrants entrepreneurs from around the global. I have used Linked In during the past 15 years as a valuable resource where I can provide my guidance in business, startups and entrepreneurial ventures much like my pioneer setting "Super Mom" who started an international company while raising seven children in the 1950s & 60s with offices in Washington, DC, Rome Italy and Singapore.
Today, I met with Krystal Yang my newest mentee a recent alum of Draper University here in Silicon Valley where I serve as a lecturer, mentor and "Pitch Day" judge since 2014. Krystal is young entrepreneur from China who is boldly exploring new avenues to bridge the gap between people and culture as our world becomes smaller and interconnected. She's leveraging social media and the latest advances in technology (blockchain among others) to make a positive impact on the world. I have no doubt Krystal's intellect, passion, perseverance and hard work will play off and some day she too will "Play it Forward" and mentor others in this unbroken chain of helping others.
Business Owner
6 年You are out taking a walk alone, when suddenly you are attacked. You immediately reach for your cellphone to call for help but your attacker knocks your phone from your hand. What do you do? How do you call for help? You are at a party, you've had a few drinks & things starts to go blurry you know something isn't right. You are too intoxicated to remember where you left your cellphone. What do you do? How do you call for help? You've been kidnapped, your kidnapper has searched you and removed your cellphone & placed you in the trunk of the car? What do you do? How do you call for help? You are hiking and you take a slip & fall. You are down you have broken a leg. You manage to grab your phone from your pants pocket only to find out the battery is dead. What do you do? How do you call for help? How many times have we read or heard about one of those scenarios above where one of those tragic things above has occurred and sadly it does not end so well for the victim.?As of now cellphones are the only way in the world to call for help on the go and I'm willing to bet that no one? out in the world?is prepared if plan A ( cellphone) fail. That's why I present to you, 2nd chance. What exactly is 2nd chance & what does it do?