Sawmill Mentor Network

The mission of the Sawmill Mentor Network is to foster and facilitate the connection between mentor and mentees in the Rose-Hulman community, beyond the traditional and successful ad hoc approach, in a structured and systematic way. Mentors present their areas of interest and expertise. Then, mentees can identify and contact mentors they feel will be helpful to them. Apply below to become a mentor.

Sawmill Mentor Network Application

Name:

Personal email address:

Would you like to have an “@sawmillsociety.org” email address for this role?

Yes No

Preferred Phone:

Year of Rose (or other undergrad) Education:

Undergrad Major:

Masters/Post-Secondary Education (if any):

Current Profession:

1-3 things that you might say you are an expert in or could really help someone starting a company with: (Either Technical, Business, Law, or other expertise)

Industries that you know extremely well, and could help advise on:

Any other passions or creative interests?

Have you mentored entrepreneurs (officially or unofficially) before? Please describe

How many hours on a monthly basis would you like to contribute to a entrepreneur(s). Another way to look at this would be how many entrepreneurs would you like to help at one time? They will be expected to reach out and work with your schedule, but we don’t want to overwhelm you.

Basic Rules of Engagement:

Non-Compensation: There will be no compensation for the mentor role, other than potentially gatherings and social engagement with other mentors. You should not ask for stock, cash or any other compensation in this role. It is designed as a true service role. This is not the case if you are also part of the Sawmill Angel Network and make an investment into the company or make a direct investment or otherwise are asked by the entrepreneur separately as part of an advisory board. There should be no ties to the mentor network and any cash or stock expectations.
Confidentiality: You should not be required to sign a non-disclosure to serve as a mentor, but at the same time agree to protect ideas through good discretion, confidentiality, and willingness to serve the entrepreneur in helping to develop their idea without taking know-how and intellectual property for your own use
Time Commitment: There is no exact obligation as a mentor, but if you are not able to commit at least 1-2 hours a month to help the entrepreneur, it might be best to communicate to the individual that you do not have the bandwidth to help as much as you would need to right now, so that they can find a different mentor
Professional treatment and safe mentoring environment: There will be no discrimination of any kind tolerated. Denigrating or inappropriate language, crude or otherwise unacceptable conversations does not have a place in a mentoring environment. It is not expected that you would date anyone you are mentoring, as it could potentially cause serious issues. You would need to terminate your official mentoring relationship. If you meet in-person with a current student, it should not occur in your home.

Express Indemnification and Setting Expectations: You are NOT expected to provide legal, accounting, broker-dealer representation or guidance. This is NOT a fundraising pitch to you. The primary expectation that you should set as a mentor is that you are “here to help” and will do the best that you can. There is no express or insinuated liability on the advice, counsel, or recommendations that you make. You should not sign or otherwise represent any of the above in an official designation.

By submitting this application, I agree to abide by the Basic Rules of Engagement outlined above. I understand that breaking these rules could lead to removal as a Rose Sawmill Mentor or other consequences as appropriate. In addition, I agree that Rose-Hulman and the Sawmill Society can utilize my name and image as part of announcing mentors.

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Mentor Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in a mentoring program?

The Sawmill Mentoring Program seeks to offer one-on-one guidance by matching Sawmill Society members with industry experience to mentees searching for advice as they pursue their entrepreneurial vision.

This opportunity is unique to Rose-Hulman affiliates in that it is focused in entrepreneurship. It offers a chance to share others' past challenges, failures, best practices, and wins.

Aside from career advice, mentees can work with their mentors to further their understanding of non-technical aspects of starting a business.

What a mentoring relationship is not:

It is NOT professional legal, accounting, or broker-dealer representation or guidance.

It is NOT an opportunity for the mentee to pitch for fundraising.

It is NOT an opportunity for the mentor to ask to be paid for services.

How am I matched with a mentee?

The list of available mentors is posted on the Sawmill Society webpage in the mentor program section.

Applicants to be a mentee may list their top three choices of mentors based on their needs regarding their startup.

A mentor will be chosen based on their availability.

How much time can I expect to spend on this?

The ultimate amount of time spent in conversations between mentor and mentee may be determined by the pair, but the expectation is a minimum of two hours per month.

How do I know if I qualify to be a mentor?

The Sawmill Mentor Program is designed for all ranges of expertise. Whether you are just starting out or just finished your first fundraising round, the goal is to pair mentors and mentees through all stages of a startup.

How do I know if I qualify to be a mentor?

You should be prepared to review the initial documents shared with you by the mentee. After the review and initial meeting, you should be able to assist the mentee in setting expectations by offering a timeline, expected deliverables, etc.

How will I meet my mentee?

After a mentee submits an application, inquiries will be sent to their preferred mentor(s).

Once you agree to accept a mentee, an introductory email will be sent to both parties. The expectation is communication will begin within one week of introduction.

How long does a mentoring partnership last?

The one-on-one mentoring process can last as long as it needs to, or until the mentor or mentee determine there is no need to continue conversations.

Ideally, this process will generate relationships that will last a lifetime.

What protections do I have against liability?

There are additional steps to consider protecting both parties.

Any early discussions regarding the mentee’s idea, technology, or application should be conducted using non-enabling language. This means describing the concept at a high level without divulging the most important aspect or key details of the technology. One must become adept at sharing the necessary information to move the discussion forward while protecting the fundamental details of the idea.

At the appropriate time when both the mentee and mentor agree to dive deeper, a mutual non-disclosure agreement (MNDA) can be executed to protect shared confidential information. An MNDA allows the mentee-mentor discussion to move into important details to further work through more discrete business and/or technology challenges.