Mentorship

” My strongest takeaway from the WILD Mentorship program was the group of women in my cohort: four professionals hailing from different regions and different facets of the lighting industry. These women have become more than colleagues: they are resources, cheerleaders, advocates, and friends who will continue to shape my career as long as I am part of this profession. I have to admit, I was surprised by the overall experience and the friendships made.”

I had never done anything like this before, but my experience encapsulates the purpose of the WILD Mentorship program: creating a structured space where professionals can learn directly from one another. I was originally expecting a traditional mentor-mentee model, where a veteran professional guides a junior colleague. But WILD has adopted peer-to-peer mentorship. This format allowed the four of us to share experiences, and it turns out people at different stages of their careers often face similar challenges. We were mostly mid-career professionals – some undergoing transitions in our careers. (For instance, I recently started dedicating more time to mentoring junior sales persons at my firm.) Every one of us brought valuable insights; optimally exchanged in an open, confidential setting.

Understanding peer-to-peer mentorship 

Peer-to-peer mentorship is not unique to lighting. It is a well-established model practiced in professional development across many industries. Instead of the mentor giving and the mentee receiving, everyone in the group takes turns sharing experiences and resources, asking questions, and offering advice.

” It’s important for participants to turn off or set aside any distractions for the devoted mentoring hour, so they can fully benefit from not only being a teacher, but also a deep-listening learner. This approach creates space for intergenerational learning. Younger professionals bring new ways of thinking about communication, evolving workplace expectations, and emerging technologies. A mid-career designer transitioning to management may gain insight from a veteran manufacturers rep. Or a regional sales manager may learn from a daily Revit user.”

At any stage of your career you have lessons learned (often the hard way) from navigating projects, clients, career transitions, and our complex supply chain. It was my hope in being open and honest with my group that they could benefit from my hard-earned lessons.

Structure

In the WILD Mentorship program, participants are placed in small cohorts of four to six professionals that meet online twice a month: a commitment of about 3 hrs a month. As a full-time employee and a busy mom of two, this originally sounded like a lot, but I quickly realized, you will likely only need to lead or prepare for every fifth or sixth meeting. For the rest, you’re listening to individuals you learn to respect. 

Each group is intentionally composed of people from different regions (so you’re likely not matched with your boss or client) and different sectors of the industry. We spanned all four time zones, so finding a time that worked for everyone is a challenge. Friday afternoon (1:00 pm Mountain) worked well for us. For me, it felt like a good departure from day-to-day tasks to focus on broader career and self-improvement issues. As an initial icebreaker, we all did a personality assessment (HIGH5), which turned out to be useful for my sales team as well.

Six months seems to be a sweet spot where trust builds gradually. Meeting twice a month consistently helps groups move beyond surface-level introductions into deeper discussions, and allows for flexibility with busy schedules should any sessions need to be adjusted. The online format makes participation accessible no matter where you live or work. And the small group size ensures everyone has the opportunity to engage and to lead.

What makes it successful?

• Equality of roles: There is no single mentor. Everyone contributes knowledge and receives support.
• Structured cadence: Though scheduling can be challenging, twice-monthly 1-hour meetings provide consistency without overwhelming commitment. 
• Diversity of perspectives: Cohorts are designed to include different disciplines and regions, broadening conversations.
• Resiliency: The small-group format minimizes the risk of a single unsuccessful mentor-mentee match, ensuring deep connections through sharing and commitment.
• Flexibility in topics: Conversations move beyond technical issues into leadership, self-empowerment, workplace culture, career changes, and other (sometimes surprising) topics.
• Safe space: Repeated interaction within a small group builds trust and encourages honest dialogue, especially knowing that what’s mentioned in the cohort, stays in the cohort.

” I loved that our cohort explored topics both in and outside of lighting, and I am so grateful to the women in my cohort. They were easy to talk to, understanding, and, most of all, inspiring with their drive to continue to learn and collaborate! Their different perspectives, approaches, challenges, and successes gave me new insight into the possible directions a career in lighting may lead.”

Lasting benefits

The benefits of peer-to-peer mentorship will extend far beyond the six months of scheduled meetings. Though my cohort will not continue to meet monthly, we will keep in touch and hope to meet in-person at a trade show or industry event in the future. Exposure to different parts of the industry brought insights and perspectives I may never have encountered in my work as a manufacturers representative. Instead of adding one mentor to my network, I’ve established several peers as future resources and soundingboards.

“Hearing how others have faced similar challenges (successfully or not so much) made me realize I am not alone and prompted me to look for solutions in places I may not have considered otherwise. My peers provided valuable tools, and we encouraged each other to pursue opportunities as they presented themselves. Sharing our own experiences boosted our mental health/wellbeing, as well as our confidence.  I can’t speak for everyone, but I better appreciate the value of my existing knowledge and skills.”

The lighting industry can be known as a lifetime sentence. While roles may shift – from designer to manufacturer to rep to educator – individuals often remain connected to the field for decades. Strengthening peer networks early and mid-career helps professionals, especially women, envision a sustainable and rewarding future here. Retention is one of WILD’s core goals, and Mentorship plays an important role. Female colleagues at every stage of their careers stand ready and willing to support one another.