Mentorship: “One of the secret sauces to success”

Mentorship is one of the most effective ways to help professionals of all ages gain confidence and thrive in their roles, but it’s an opportunity few people take advantage of. According to Forbes, 76% of people think mentors are important but only 37% actually have one. 

Katie Haddock, Director of Events at Berry Productions , is one of the 37%. As part of NOWIE’s Level Up mentoring scheme she was paired with our own Sophie Pink, Digital & Social Media Manager, for a 6-month mentorship program designed to connect women in the early to mid-stages of their events careers with experienced professionals in their chosen specialism. 

As Katie’s mentorship wraps up, we sat down with her to find out about her experience as a mentee. 

• Why did you decide to apply for a mentor? 

 As a young owner of a new business, I was just starting out and looking for ways to expand my knowledge and network. NOWIE’s Level Up mentoring scheme fitted this perfectly as they matched me with a mentor with expertise in the exact area I needed to focus on, plus NOWIE’s regular networking events and webinars allowed me to get to know others in the sector. 

• Why were you matched with Sophie and how did her skills fit your needs? 

One way I wanted to level up was through building my personal profile and that of my company. Making a name in such a busy online world is difficult and Sophie guided me through the process—from attending my first networking event, filming my first video, to then creating an entire social media strategy from scratch. Sophie’s an incredible digital marketer, and I really valued the skills she taught me.  

• What did you work on with Sophie during your mentorship? 

We worked mainly on boosting my business and individual profile via online platforms and some IRL networking too. We had regular catch ups to brainstorm new social content ideas as well as review the analytics to figure out which types of content worked well and how to optimize performance. 

• How has the mentorship benefited you? 

Sophie gave me confidence and perspective—she's my biggest cheerleader! We celebrated my achievements together as well as identifying areas to progress. She showed me how to see my work through a client's eyes to help pinpoint priorities and elevate my client relations. 

• Has the mentorship benefited your business? 

My business has really been boosted by building my profile online to engage a key audience. I’ve gained a whole toolkit of social media skills during my time with Sophie and they’re all transferable to future projects and campaigns. 

• Why should more people seek a mentor? 

You’ll never know it all, whether you’re in your first year of business or your tenth! Everyone has different skill sets, career paths, and life experiences—and we can all learn from each other.  

I didn't know what to expect when I started the mentorship and it was a little daunting, but I’ve discovered it's one of the secret sauces to success! 

Young event professionals at IMEX America this year can power up their professional development and make new friends and contacts at Rising Talent—a series of education sessions specially created for them. Career development hacks, how to create meaningful connections and nurturing well-being are among the topics covered. Find out more and register for IMEX America, October 7-9 here.