Mentor

The NIACC Pappajohn Center’s Entrepreneurship Mentor Network is seeking leaders, subject-matter experts, business owners, and professionals who want to help guide North Iowa entrepreneurs and innovators. Whether you’ve built a company, led teams, solved tough problems, or developed deep expertise in your field, your experience can change someone’s journey.

Entrepreneurs don't need perfection, they need people. People who listen. People who cheer. People who open doors. People like you. 

What It Means to Be a Mentor

Being a mentor doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means showing up with  curiosity, encouragement, and a willingness to help an entrepreneur move forward.

As a mentor, you may:

• Serve as a sounding board—listening, asking great questions, and helping entrepreneurs think through decisions
• Share your experience and insight, helping them build their “entrepreneurial toolbox”
• Be a cheerleader, motivating them through setbacks and celebrating wins: big or small
• Provide perspective from your field, helping them understand industry trends, risks, and best practices
• Connect them to resources and people in your network who can help them take the next step

Your role is simple: Walk alongside an entrepreneur as they learn, grow, experiment, and build.

Who Can Be a Mentor?

If you’re passionate about helping others succeed, you’re a fit! We welcome:

• Business owners & seasoned entrepreneurs
• Community leaders & professionals
• Industry experts & specialists
• Innovators, problem-solvers, and lifelong learners
• Anyone who wants to support entrepreneurs at any stage, from students to startup founders to established business owners scaling up

Ways to Help

We’ll match you with opportunities that align with your strengths and availability. Mentors may support entrepreneurs through:

• One-on-one mentorship (Venture School, post-program support)
• Team-based mentoring
• Workshops, seminars, and pitch coaching as a subject-matter expert
• Networking connections that build entrepreneurs’ social capital across the region

You choose the level of commitment. We simply ask that you show up, listen deeply, encourage generously, and share what you know.

Why Mentorship Matters

Entrepreneurship is a journey; exciting, challenging, unpredictable. Many founders don’t need someone to run the business for them; they need someone who can:

• Provide clarity when things feel overwhelming
• Offer encouragement when progress feels slow
• Connect them to tools, resources, and ideas they wouldn’t have found alone
• Help them stay motivated and on the right path

Your support can be the difference between an idea that stalls and a business that thrives.

Ready to Join Us?

If you’re ready to make a meaningful, lasting impact in North Iowa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, we’d love to welcome you as a mentor. Contact Ashley Page for more information at ashley.page@niacc.edu