MULTIPLY Mentorship: SMPS Members Support Each Other’s Growth, By Chelsea Risner

I still remember my first day like yesterday. A fresh strategic communications bachelor’s degree in hand, excited to have an actual income to start chipping away at those college loans, and not the slightest idea of the number of proposals and interviews I’d be working on — much less what it took to make those winners. As a one-person marketing team at a civil engineering firm with 35 staff, I learned quickly: it was a lot.

Even if you were one of the luckier ones at a larger firm with a leader or sufficient training program, there is always more to learn in our ever-changing industry. If the pandemic didn’t teach you that already, take a look at SMPS Seattle's upcoming education events for proof.

While a bit morbid upon closer reflection, “they threw me in the deep end” is a phrase I commonly hear when I ask a fellow marketer how they got their start. It certainly describes my beginning. Thankfully I found SMPS Seattle quickly after joining and learned how to improve my skills, but even with the exceptional educational and social events, I still felt I needed a little more one-on-one guidance.

About MULTIPLY

That’s when I found SMPS Seattle's MULTIPLY Mentorship program. MULTIPLY supports the mentees’ growth and development through strategic pairing with a mentor for one year. After applying, mentees are matched with a mentor to work through current challenges, establish and track career goals, and get inspiration from their mentor.

The mentor may ask you to read relevant books, design a personal strategic plan, or go outside of your comfort zone with networking, proposal design, etc. After the year is complete, the mentors and mentees can decide to continue without SMPS Seattle or sign up for another pairing.

Mentee Experience

For my first mentorship, I am paired with Jeremy Richard, Marketing and Business Development Manager of Design West Engineering. Our meetings are always different, and I am always learning something new I can utilize in my work immediately. We are currently reading our third book, and each book has taught us something new we can implement within our teams.

Not only have I learned a lot, but he’s also encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone with networking, which has given me confidence. We even found a project to chase together - something that likely would not have happened without our mentor/mentee relationship. Jeremy also helped me get more involved with SMPS Seattle. I am now on the Education Committee and involved with the Small Business Roundtable.

Mentor Experience

The mentee experience is extremely rich and rewarding, and mentors also benefit significantly from participating in MULTIPLY. Jeremy decided to become a mentor after reflecting on his life and the times he felt a void with mentors or realized how much of an impact someone had on him after he had lost them. He’s also found external mentorships provide vital insight to improve internal mentorship at his firm.

Jeremy says he’s learned a lot being the person to ensure he’s bringing something of value each month. He also finds it motivating and keeps him accountable to check books off his list that he was planning to read anyway. His favorite part about being a mentor is the excitement of witnessing a spark you helped to develop in others. As he puts it, “you get a front-row seat to the personal and professional development of a new friend.”

When asked if he would recommend becoming a mentor for MULTIPLY to others, he said, “It’s a chance to give back. It makes all of us better. It helps us collectively elevate our place in this industry as AEC marketers.” In addition, mentors and mentees can earn CEUs from participating in the MULTIPLY program.

Get Involved

Ready to get involved? You can learn more about the MULTIPLY program and requirements here: https://smpsseattle.org/mentorship_program. The new year will start in January, and pairings will be made soon. Get in touch with co-chairs of MULTIPLY Amy Pugh of DCI Engineers ([email protected]) or Kristy Alley of Stantec ([email protected]) to apply!