The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce ran 22in22 Women in Business Mentoring Programme for 12 months from March 2022 following a successful 21in21 the previous year.
It paired successful business leaders with mentees who were looking to grow their own business or to rise up the career ladder in their chosen field.
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Janinah McKenzie, of JMK & Co Consultancy, was paired with Cheryll Rawbone, former Chair of Gallagher.
Janinah said: “I had been self-employed proving business operations and strategy services to companies for a number of years, but in 2021 I started the business, setting up a limited company which specialises in providing these services to organisations in the sustainability and social sectors.
“I applied to be a mentee in the programme in order to benefit from a fellow business woman. Cheryll is well-known within the non-profit sector in Warwickshire, so I knew she would be a great person to provide advice and support.
“Over the course of the last 12 months, Cheryll has provided me with some great advice, contacts and opportunities. She has helped me get to grips with business basics and best practice and has been a great sounding board when discussing topics such as marketing ideas, potential clients and platforms that I can utilise.
“She’s also helped me develop personally. As Cheryll does a lot of philanthropy work, she has taught me more about being a good human in general and the importance of supporting others. Thanks to Cheryll’s connections I have gone on to join the board of a local charity which she introduced me to and will hopefully become a Trustee of another charity that Cheryll is on the board of.”
Cheryll said: “I am very keen to support the next generation of businesses locally to help them achieve their potential, and for that to be positive for the business itself, the local economy and community as a whole.
“The programme provided a fantastic opportunity to support women in business, helping them to them take forward new ideas, potentially avoid some of the pitfalls of running a business that they may not have considered and maximise their success. You are both a critical friend and an enthusiastic supporter of your mentee, and a valuable source of potential connections to help them on their journey.
“Although I haven’t had a mentor in my own career, I have had strong female role models in both my mum and my gran who were extremely inspirational. I would have loved to have a mentor while progressing in my career, and this has motivated me to take up numerous mentoring opportunities where I have supported others to navigate their career progression, overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
“It’s been fantastic to support Janinah at the start of her business journey, give her some additional support, be a sounding board for ideas and help her progress and move forward as she continues to grow her company.”
To find our more about Janinah's business, head to https://www.jmkcollective.com/
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Pictured: (left) Cheryll Rawbone with Janinah McKenzie, found of JMK & Co Consultancy
