The concept is actually not very unique; historically these types of mentoring services have been provided by women’s small business development centers for some time. What is unique about our program is the ability for women ANYWHERE to have access to the same mentoring services that are often only available in larger cities.

With a broad reach and outstanding community support, CremeMagnolia.net is able to offer these services free of charge. There are no sales pitches to listen to, no purchases required for inclusion, and no monetary membership fees for this service. We believe that once you have finished a successful mentoring assignment you will be so pleased with the results that you will wish to donate your own services to the community in whatever capacity you are able. And of course, we always accept cash donations to continue this service free of charge!

How to Get Started

Getting started is easy! Simply fill out the form. Be careful to fill the form out in full (several fields are required) and take some time answering the final question. The answers you provide will be shared with potential mentors during the pairing process.

Once we have received your information you will receive a Welcome message with additional information. You will occassionally receive information provided to all mentees about availability and other issues as they arise. You will be notified when a successful pairing has been made for you. At this point you will be provided with a survey. The survey will ask questions of your business and is required for the first meeting you have with your mentor (meeting date and time will be coordinated to accomodate both mentor and mentee schedules). This survey must be as complete as possible to get the most out of your hour-long mentor session.

A Mentorship can be a very valuable tool in helping you to develop, grow, and expand your business! Ready to get started? Sign up Today!

Your Mentor will review your survey information before your intial phone meeting. During your first phone meeting, the mentor will help you to assess your needs and help you to create short-term goals that can be accomplished during your subsequent sessions.

One full Mentorship will last eight weeks, during which time you will have one phone meeting per week with your mentor. The phone call will lasts between 20 – 30 minutes, and can be extended by mutual consent. After your Mentorship is complete, you will be asked to fill out an exit survey, in which you can share your Mentorship stories, successes, and accomplishments. Your information (with your permission) may even be featured on the home page of the CremeMagnolia.net website, offering you even more exposure for your business.

Last Thoughts

Because we offer these Mentorships at no charge to the Mentee, and because our Magnolia Titans have provided their valuable time in service of the CremeMagnolia community, there are a few rules that go along with acceptance of a Mentorship.

1. To allow for plenty of opportunity for everyone to participate, you are limited to two Mentorships per year. You may make personal arrangements with your mentor for continued support, however those arrangements must be made between you and your mentor; exit surveys and mentorship completion procedures must still be met.
2. Respect must be made for your Mentor’s time. While many of us could use hours and hours of business help (who couldn’t?) these Mentors have agreed to provide their services for free, so respect for their time is paramount. Be prepared for your mentor meetings, and don’t miss them! Mentors are not obligated to make up for missed meetings (unless arrangements were made to reschedule).
3. Be respectful of your Mentor’s service. You may not always agree with the advice provided to you, but that doesn’t make it any less relevant! Take the information as it is given; freely, willingly, and with compassion and empathy and a desire to help you.
4. A Mentor reserves the right to end a Mentorship at any time, for any reason. This is for the protection of both your time, and the Mentor’s time. If it appears the progress is not being made, or the Mentee would be better serviced with a Mentor with differing expertise, then new arrangements should be made. While there are no guarantees that a replacement can be made immediately, the CremeMagnolia Team will do everything possible to try to reassign mentees as needed.
5. And finally, don’t forget to THANK your Mentor each and every time you speak with them. They have gone out of their way to help the CremeMagnolia Community, and business women who can really use their expertise and knowledge. Let’s encourage them to keep wanting to provide those services for others by taking time to thank them properly.