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It’s one thing to be a mentor and ally as an individual, but how does this show up in a company?

As a “seasoned” career person, I’ve always prioritized making time for others to ideate, strategize, and support their evolution. Whether it be personal or professional, growth is inevitable and sometimes scary, so I make time for that coffee or wine date and, these days, a Zoom call. I love it! As a mentor, I inevitably become the mentee – and isn’t that the best part? The mutual insights. The shared evolution. The legit connection that results in becoming one another’s champion. 

That’s how mentorship and allyship work, I think; what starts as a mentoring relationship becomes allyship because we get excited about who we’re talking to and learning about. We understand that the sum of a human is greater than any individual parts. And, as a result, we become advocates for the skills, talents, and advancement of the human across from us.

I love these two perspectives:

[Mentoring] is a fulfilling relationship between somebody with more experience and somebody with less experience with the goal of helping both individuals become elevated versions of themselves so that they can bring their authentic leadership styles into the way that they relate to work. 

Janice Omadeke – the Mentor Method

Allyship is about being conscious and intentional, and that means learning to truly listen to others. Though another’s experience may be different from your own, listening is a pathway to greater empathy. 

So how does this show up beyond an individual relationship? How does a company walk this talk as an organization?

At Stoltz, this ethos has manifested in many ways, but a primary (and recent) example is our support of the Boise Pride Festival. We are lucky to have a diverse team made up of bright individuals who have varying gender identities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, etc. It matters how our company prioritizes the causes we support and how we do so. 

From slogans to visual designs, our brilliant team dives in with passion. I believe it’s an opportunity for them to not only connect but do so in a truly authentic and meaningful way.

One of the things we offer folks who attend Boise Pride is a chance to win a headshot done by one of our amazing photographers. We believe this not only celebrates people who may often feel othered in our community but also offers them a tool to use as they work on growth and evolution within their careers. 

Lastly, we love that Pride presents an opportunity to partner with other agencies and companies in Boise who share our passion. Big shout out to @Promoshop for walking the parade with us and supplying amazing fans for the occasion!

Ultimately, I believe mentorship and allyship represent a way to connect with one another more fully. Through the process, we as individuals learn more, understand more deeply, and shine a light on one another’s strengths. It allows us to then amplify that light more broadly into teams and organizations so we can appreciate differences and the value they hold in our business and in our community. But it starts with one one-on-one conversations and builds from there. I encourage you to reach out to that fabulous person you admire, ask for a coffee date, and let things evolve from there. These connections ultimately make the world a better place.