The origins of the project and its mission

The project Guardian Angels for Female Entrepreneurs has been established as a reaction of NADSME and RAIC Presov on a call of the European Commission, known as “European Network of mentors for Women Entrepreneurs“ which had been targeted at the additional support of businesswomen.

GUARD4FEMENT interlocks at the project “Support of female entrepreneurs in Slovakia“ which had been established to inspire potential entrepreneurs, mainly through business stories and practical advices of ambassadors to embark women on the path of self-employment. At this stage enters a new project and its main actors - mentors or "guardian angels" for women entrepreneurs, whose mission is to lead start-up female entrepreneurs.

The aim of the Project “Guardian Angels for Female Entrepreneurs“ is to promote and support women's entrepreneurship in Slovakia and in the EU, through creation of a network of mentors /mentees for start-up entrepreneurs. From the successful businesswomen/businessmen will be selected the best ones  who will give through a personal consultations and meetings a hand to women – start-up entrepreneurs - to overcome the initial problems related to their business careers.

Project goals

• to support female entrepreneurship in Slovakia
• to recognize and support the development of start-up entrepreneurs
• to ensure that female entrepreneurs’  first years of the business will be stabilized

How to become a mentor?

The candidate for mentor has to fullfil general, economic and personal criteria as follows:

General Criteria:

• women or men who have personal experience of owning and managing SMEs successfully for at least five years:
• aware of specific challenges that women entrepreneurs face (e.g. in starting-up a business, accessing finance, networking, etc),
• willingness to consult and ready to share their knowledge, experience, (in many cases similar in order to gain empathy with the mentoree and understanding of their issue) and know-how with their mentorees and available to meet them regularly for a minimum of one year.
• to engage with at least two mentorees for the duration of the project
• will act on a voluntary basis (will not receive any remuneration)
• will commit to refrain from direct involvement in the company led by their mentorees, for two years following the end of the mentoring scheme.
• willing to take a training and report to the project coordinator (schedule the meetings with mentorees, write the evaluation of progress etc).
• communicative level of English language
• experience in mentoring will be a plus

Economic criteria:

• successful company in terms of economic performance
• a clear vision or idea about the future company development
• desire to achieve higher goals, to build image
• reconciliation of personal and professional life
• secured market for own goods and services
• exceptional level of customer care
• social program for employees

Moral or personal criteria:

• possessing both work and life experience,
• influential and respectful,
• committed for good cause,
• prepared to share experience
• professionally qualified,
• able to advise,
• organised,
• self-confident,
• receptive,
• successful.

How to become a mentee?

Mentorees are women of all ages, who:

• have either created an SME or taken over an existing one, and who have been in business for 1 up to 4 years (more than a year, but less than four)
• have at least one employee (can be themselves)
• have developed their business significantly since starting it
• are looking for external guidance and skills to help them face better and more efficiently the many challenges they encounter as women entrepreneurs.
• be willing to look more closely at yourself, your issues, opportunities and what you want in your business life