• Protégés will have access to comprehensive resources such as bonding, insurance, lines of credit, and a potential loan fund.
• Mentors will introduce protégés to their professional network.
• All small businesses who participate will be added to a membership-based database that large firms and other companies will be invited to join – giving them access to vetted certified minority, women, veteran-owned and disadvantaged businesses they can hire for projects or as vendors.

Research shows that active and collaborative learning leads to longer-term retention of new information.

• The mentor and protégé work together to outline the goals of the small business, build a curriculum, determine benchmarks and milestones to track progress, and establish logistics for a productive partnership.
• Protégés have the potential opportunity to work on active projects provided by their mentors, allowing the mentor to oversee the small business’ progress closely.
• Mentors and protégés have regularly scheduled check-ins to discuss the small business’ progress and talk through questions. Receiving help in real-time allows them to implement feedback into their ongoing operations, continuing to work while they learn and preventing avoidable delays.