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.
Zoe Anthony, who works for Coventry City Council, was paired with Tina Chander, Partner and Head of Employment Law at Wright Hassall.
Zoe said: “It was actually my manager at the time who said that she thought I would really benefit from being mentored as she felt it would help me with the confidence issues I was having.
“Although it pushed me out of my comfort zone, I was keen to take part as I thought it would not only help me overcome certain barriers, but also think more about career progression, how to make the right decisions for me, where I wanted to go and how I could get there.
“I was very conscious that being mentored by the right person would be the making or breaking point for me on the programme. I would need to feel a connection with my mentor to be able to open up to them. I was very lucky to have been able to meet Tina at the launch event prior to being partnered with anyone. I was then able to say to the Chamber that I thought Tina and I would be a good match.
“We have mainly looked at me getting my career back on track and starting my progression moving again. I have always been ambitious, however I was lacking in confidence recently which was preventing me from making the right choices in my career. We have also focused on how I can manage difficult situations differently so that my anxiety doesn’t take over.
“I have taken on a new role within the council, having been promoted to a Business Development Officer. I am also a lot more confident about the decisions and actions I am taking, meaning my anxiety doesn’t take over like it did before.
“Tina and I have built a great friendship and have agreed to carry on with the mentoring because it has become a great support and we are now looking at the next set of goals to achieve."
Tina said: “I have been fortunate to mentor many aspiring solicitors over the years – it has been a joy for me to support paralegals, trainee solicitors and solicitors wanting to go for promotion. Supporting the legal profession is my comfort zone and the feedback I have received from those that I have trained, supported and mentored has always been positive.
“I decided to volunteer with the Chamber because I was keen to use my skills and joy of mentoring for someone who was not in the legal profession. I wanted to see if that is something I am capable of and I was keen to see if my ability to mentor can assist those outside of the legal profession.
“Although I haven’t been mentored myself, I have worked with some very encouraging leaders and colleagues. I have always been motivated to make a difference – in the legal profession and outside of the legal profession.
“I am a British Asian Woman in Business – I am proud of this. My parents were very clear growing up that they myself and my three siblings must forge a career. This has at times been very challenging however I have always thrived from a challenge and I am a very determined person.
“I have always enjoyed being around people, I have a lot of energy for life, I don’t shy away from having an opinion, I like to analyse situations, I like to offer up an idea, I like to see something through from start to finish.
“The mentoring sessions with Zoe have been both fun and focused. We’ve worked very hard on overcoming barriers and building her confidence and we have really thought about career progression, completely dissecting her likes and dislikes and what gives her that energy to do a job. It’s been a very valuable experience for the both of us, and we’ll be continuing our mentoring sessions going forward.”
#IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity
Pictured: (left) Zoe Anthony with her 22in22 Mentor, Tina Chander
