Our programme may last 6, 9 or 12 months. It depends on how long you need the mentorship for. Mentees and mentors are expected to commit for the full mentoring cycle, as decided at the beginning.

In order to successfully participate in and graduate from the Programme, mentees and mentors must:

• Adhere to the Programme Code of Conduct.
• Respond in a timely manner to communications from the Mentoring Team in which a reply is requested.

Mentees are also expected to:

• Meet with their mentor for at least two hours each month.
• Reach out to their mentor to schedule the first meeting and be proactive in scheduling subsequent meetings.
• Drive the relationship by setting agendas for each meeting and detailing what they want to work on during Mentoring programme.
• Complete feedback surveys, which will be shared at several points during the programme, by the stated deadline.
• Complete the end-of-programme survey by the stated deadline.

Mentors are also expected to:

• Meet with their mentee for at least two hours each month.
• Provide feedback to their mentee’s SMART goals
• Complete feedback surveys, which will be shared at several points during the programme, before the stated deadline.
• Complete the end of programme survey by the stated deadline.

The minimum time commitment that we ask both our mentors and mentees to make is 1 hour per month. However, the mentoring meetings are meant to be flexible and work for you! Your meeting times should be convenient for both the mentee and mentor.

• Keep an eye out for an email from us with the name of your match and their contact information.
• Mentees are expected to send the first message via email. Tell your mentor a bit about yourself, your business, your country and your background. Suggest 2-3 times for your first meeting and schedule a Zoom or Microsoft Teams meeting.
• Schedule 1 hour for your first online meeting by creating an event on the mentoring website. Confirm the date/time with your mentor or mentee a few days in advance.
• In advance of your first meeting, please review the First Meeting Agenda, which you can use to guide your first sessions. You can also review the modules in the training on starting your mentoring relationship.
• In your first few meetings, spend some time getting to know each other. Talk about where you’re from, what you enjoy and your work. Chat about when and how you’d like to meet over the coming year and set up a schedule for your meetings.
• In order to get the maximum benefit from this programme, we advise that you schedule at least one hour every two weeks to speak.

• The mentoring cycle consists of four phases, each with distinct areas of focus:

  • Phase 1: Getting to know each other. Use this time to build a trusting and efficient relationship by telling each other about yourself, your business and your experience. It is important to set boundaries and rules for your mentoring year together.
  • Phase 2: Setting goals. The pair will focus on what the mentee wants to achieve over the course of the mentoring year and develop SMART goals that they will work on together. It is important that the mentee leads in the development of these goals.
  • Phase 3: Progression. During these months, the mentee will work on the set goals, working closely together with their mentor to make sure that they stay on track and amend goals if necessary.
  • Phase 4: Wrapping up. During the final phase together, pairs look back on what they have achieved and make plans for how the mentee will continue working on her business after the relationship ends.

• If you are having challenges connecting with your mentoring partner or would like some support to help you stay on track, please get in touch with us on community@maritimesheeo.com.

• We match based on the profile of the mentor and the requirement of the mentee.

• Our mentoring relationships are designed to help mentees unlock their potential and reach new heights. The best way to do this is for mentees to have their own control over setting goals and what they want to work on. This means it is also the mentee’s responsibility to schedule meetings and set agendas for these meetings, to drive the relationship and remain proactive in asking mentors questions and seeking support. Our mentors have all agreed to give mentees at least two hours a month but it is down to the mentees to make sure these hours are used.

• On the programme we understand that unexpected events can make continued commitment difficult. Participants sometimes struggle to fulfil the requirements while going through a particularly busy or stressful time. If this is the case, we ask participants to get in touch with the Mentoring Team. We will be able to provide suggestions and solutions for how to make the relationship work within this busy period. One thing we have found in our experience is that these moments of busyness are when mentors can provide the most valuable support and suggestions to mentees. Their experience of similar circumstances can be hugely insightful in working through stressful moments.

• If you have any other questions, specific issues, or developments you’d like to share, write to us on community@maritimesheeo.com

• Sometimes we are met with an ethical dilemma, where boundaries are not clear or someone has not respected the agreed boundaries. If you feel any discomfort please speak us. We expect all participants to adhere to the Code of Conduct and Participation Guidelines, and we take breaches very seriously. We are here to offer guidance and support.

• Absolutely. In addition to the benefits of a mentoring relationship, participants who successfully complete the programme receive a certificate from Sanjam Sahi Gupta at the end of 2026.