Mentorship takes many forms and doesn’t always follow a traditional path. For professionals navigating growth and leadership, the right connections often emerge through formal programs and everyday experiences.  Through Women on the Rise, one of the Greater Houston Partnership’s leadership programs, emerging female leaders like Allison Marshall, Managing Principal at Huitt-Zollars, Inc., are finding a space to build meaningful connections, gain perspective, and strengthen their leadership journey.  In this thoughtful reflection, Allison shares how she reframed her expectations, built her own “personal board of directors,” and found strength in a mix of formal and informal relationships that helped her grow personally and professionally.  The value of mentorship is well documented across industries and career stages. Research shows that the right mentorship can have a profound impact:  75% of executives credit their success to mentors and recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work. (Harvard Business Review).   Employees who participate in mentoring programs are five times more likely to be promoted than those who don’t (Association for Talent Development).  For women, mentorship is linked to higher career satisfaction, increased leadership readiness, and stronger networks, especially in male-dominated industries (Harvard Business Review; McKinsey & LeanIn.org).  Allison’s insights show that with a little courage and intention, mentorship can be one of the most impactful tools for professional development and personal fulfillment.  “When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time alone and rarely saw mentorship modeled—especially among women. As I started thinking about my career path in my teens and early twenties, I realized mentorship was something I deeply longed for, even if I wasn’t sure what it looked like.  My career has been non-linear, full of unexpected turns and what I like to call “side quests,” which has made it hard to find that perfect mentor. For a long time, I thought I needed some magical combination of a C-suite mom and a power-suit bestie—someone who would sit across from me with a calm presence, listen deeply, and then drop life-changing advice over coffee. Needless to say, I never found Gayle King moonlighting as Miranda Priestly.  What I have found is that, when you pay attention, mentors are everywhere—in both formal programs and unexpected, organic relationships.  Sometimes I’ve stumbled into mentorships by accident; other times, I’ve had to take a deep breath and ask someone I admire directly. More than once, I’ve realized mentorship was happening only after the relationship ended—which made me even more intentional about strengthening the more formal mentorships I’ve built since.  These days, I like to think of my mentors as my own personal board of directors. I don’t rely on one person to walk with me through every chapter of my career or meet every need. Instead, I’ve built a circle of trusted voices: some are in my industry, some outside of it. Some are working moms, others have navigated challenges I’m facing now. Some have succeeded in areas where I still struggle. All of them are people I admire—for their wisdom, integrity, perspective, and the lives they’ve built.  Like any relationship, mentorship takes time. It takes time to build trust, to create space for vulnerability, and to prioritize the relationship in the midst of everything else. It also takes courage. The first time I said to someone, “Hey, I’m building a personal board of directors, and I’d love for you to be on it,” I felt ridiculous. But to my surprise, I was met with laughter—and then, wholehearted enthusiasm. People want to share what they’ve learned. And more often than not, they want to share in your success, too.  Participating in the WOTR mentorship program is another way to connect with incredible women that can provide friendship, guidance and perspective. Whether through WOTR or your own circle, purposeful mentorship is one of the most powerful tools for growth.” Ready to build your own board of directors?  Women on the Rise, part of the Partnership’s Greater Houston Leadership Institute, is a community of rising leaders committed to growth, connection, and mentorship. Whether you're seeking guidance, offering support, or both, this exclusive network offers opportunities to learn, lead, and lift others along the way.  Learn more and get involved at houston.org/womenrise  ____________________________________________________ Mentorship Statistics with Citations:  “75% of executives credit their success to mentors and recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work.” Source: Harvard Business Review, “A Better Approach to Mentorship” by Christopher “CJ” Gross  "Employees who participate in mentoring programs are five times more likely to be promoted than those who don’t." Source: Association for Talent Development (ATD), Mentoring Matters: Developing Talent with Formal Mentoring Programs (2017).  "For women in particular, mentorship is linked to higher career satisfaction, increased leadership readiness, and stronger networks—especially in male-dominated industries." Source: Harvard Business Review, “Why Men Still Get More Promotions Than Women” by Herminia Ibarra, Nancy M. Carter, and Christine Silva (2010); and McKinsey & LeanIn.org, Women in the Workplace report (2023).   

The Greater Houston Partnership welcomed 13 new member companies in the month of June. The Partnership works to connect companies with resources, information and networking opportunities to help increase business while also providing a platform to influence the direction of the region.  New members who joined in the month of June include: Arizon Corporation: Arizon Corporation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance custom RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) solutions. They provide comprehensive RFID application solutions and services worldwide for various fields, including apparel, retail, and logistics. Website. Arnold Ventures: Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy founded by Laura and John Arnold in 2008, dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based policy solutions. They focus on addressing broken systems and driving lasting change through research, advocacy, and building bipartisan coalitions. Website. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP: Boardwalk Pipelines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation and headquartered in Houston, Texas, owns and operates approximately 14,335 miles of interconnected natural gas and liquids pipelines across the central and eastern United States. They provide solutions for businesses requiring diverse market connectivity and reliable sources of supply for power generation, LNG, and petrochemical feedstock. Website. Cornerstone Capital Bank, SSB: Cornerstone Capital Bank is a company formed through the partnership of Cornerstone Home Lending and Roscoe Bank, combining their expertise to provide a range of banking services. They focus on mortgage lending, personal, commercial, and institutional banking, emphasizing service, strength, and stability for people and communities. Website. First Horizon Bank: First Horizon Bank is a financial institution that offers capital market services, regional banking and wealth management through the First Horizon family of companies. First Horizon Bank and IBERIABANK reached an important milestone by legally merging. IBERIABANK will adopt the First Horizon name. Website. Food Truck Club: The Food Trucks Club manufactures, rents, and sells food trucks and organizes events. They provide services related to gear for food trucks and host themed events. Website. Houston Habitat for Humanity: Houston Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in the City of Houston by helping low-income families earn simple decent homes in which to live. Website. Maximum Q: Maximum Q, led by Lisa Shumate, is a company focused on leadership coaching and development. They offer services such as Executive Advising, Leadership Bootcamp, and Organizational Transformation, utilizing "The Five Q's" to help leaders achieve breakthroughs and results. Website. Russo's: Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen is a pizza restaurant specializing in authentic New York-style pizza and Italian dishes based on family recipes. The company also offers franchise opportunities. Website. Sallyport Partners Fund: Sallyport Investments is an operationally focused private equity firm, based in Houston, TX. They partner with management teams to grow and build high-performing businesses across various industries, aiming to create lasting value for investors, companies, and communities. Website. TerraPower: TerraPower is an American nuclear reactor design and development engineering company, founded by Bill Gates. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the company focuses on developing advanced nuclear technologies, such as the Natrium reactor, to provide clean, safe, and affordable energy. Website. TGS Cedar Port Partners, LP: TGS Cedar Port Partners is the largest master-planned rail-and-barge-served Industrial Park in the U.S., offering rail-served, e-commerce, distribution, cold storage, and manufacturing users unmatched resources for the future of industrial logistics. Website. The Edge Group: The Edge Group is an executive search firm established in 1994, specializing in sourcing talent and elevating organizations through retained search services. It is comprised of ten professionals with over 100 years of combined experience in professional retained search. Website.