A Champion of Change

Mentors inspire us     -     Mentors challenge us.

Mentors help us to become more than we are.

Who is it that inspires you? Was there someone along your path, within your circle of contacts who helped shape your choices for the better? Perhaps it was a family member, a teacher or someone who contributed to making your community a better place.  These are Champions of Change.

I recently had opportunity to connect with Nancy Strojny, Chapter Chair and Certified Mentor with SCORE in Portland, Maine (USA).  Nancy was recognized as a White House Champion of Change by President Obama.  

There is little doubt that she has added a lot to the growth and development of others, and in contacting her, Nancy provided a link to her blog as a White House Champion of Change.

Here are a few highlights that caught our attention:

• Early on, I cultivated my role as a mentor. Empowering others to achieve success was my intention. Building relationships meant seeing the world from another person’s perspective and figuring out how you can help that person thrive. 
• SCORE volunteers are a network of more than 13,000 trusted, knowledgeable mentors who help emerging and existing small businesses solve problems and improve competency as they create companies, jobs and revenue in their communities. 
• SCORE is the starting point for new entrepreneurs, as well as existing business clients, seeking guidance. 
• Most of our mentoring relationships are measured in years, not months. 
• SCORE certified mentors have owned and operated their own small businesses, or served in management positions for both large and small companies. The key ingredient SCORE mentors bring is real-world business experience you can count on.
• Being an entrepreneur is a demanding and exhausting journey. To push your business forward requires you to move beyond your comfort zone and take risks. That’s where SCORE can help. We listen and enable you to focus on your priorities, and sometimes to fail forward. We are the mentors you can trust with your fears and as well as your dreams. 
• My mentoring style is a combination of experience, active listening, tough love, and a can-do attitude. Winning the future for the next generation of entrepreneurs is my mission. The challenge of helping others succeed continues to fuel my own passion and helps build my legacy.

We encourage you to read more about Nancy and congratulate her as a Champion of Change!

Full article available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/07/life-your-business