Mentorship Program

Applicants must:

1. Be the CEO, Owner, Managing Partner or President of the company. No exceptions!
2. Be a paid, active DA4S Member
3. Agree to attend the 2025 and 2026 East conference and 2025 West conference 
4. Agree to sponsor one DA4S event in either 2025 or 2026 if accepted into program
5. Maintain a paid, active membership for three consecutive years (2025-2027).
   Membership dues for 2026 and 2027 must be paid by December 1, 2025
6. Be in business a minimum of two years
7. Commit to the time requirements needed to implement the mentoring plan with assigned mentor
8. Commit to attend the following mentorship meetings (in-person if required)
   
   1. East Coast Conference – April 29 – May 1, 2025
   2. Mentorship Program Welcome (April 29 at East Coast Conference)
   3. Mentorship Kick-Off Meeting (Virtual, June 2, 2025)
   4. Monthly or Bi-Monthly Check-In Calls with the Mentorship Committee – Virtual
   5. West Coast Conference (Sept. 9-11, 2025) In-Person
   6. Graduation & Pitch Competition – East Coast Conference (Spring 2026)
9. Submit a completed application with a hi-res professional photo. All items must be submitted together
10. Accept and sign Waiver of Liability and Program Expectation Terms
11. Applicant may participate in the Mentorship Program a maximum of two years (can be consecutive)
12. Confirm that company is in a fiscally sound position (if not, the reconsider applying the following year)
13. Participate in the application interview virtual session on March 6 and 7, 2025. Applicant will interview with the corporate mentors. More information will be provided. The interview day is a requirement to be considered for selection

Program Commitments for Mentor and Mentees

1. Program runs from June 2025 through May 2026
2. Welcome Kick-off Session on April 29 in-person
3. Monthly or Bi-Monthly Mentorship Zoom calls (August 2025 – April 2026). These calls are separate from the Mentee/Mentor meetings
4. One face-to-face meeting (in-person if possible) and at minimum monthly virtual meetings required for Mentor/Mentee pairs within the course of this one year program
   (Pairs schedule this according to their calendars)
5. Goals to be met during program. (Goals are discussed and set by each pair)

Framework – Quarterly + Deliverables

1. June – July: Finalize objectives, submit goals, schedule initial meeting during this timeframe, plan out meetings for the rest of the year
2. August – November: Share progress with Mentorship committee
3. January – April: Share progress – Prepare to finalize open actions
4. April – May: Close-out plan; turn in final goals and complete survery for Mentorship Metrics; final pitch video due; submit written testimonial

Failure to meet any of these requirements, expectations and deliverables during the program can result in Mentee being removed from the program. Mentorship Program is not to gain business from a Mentoring Company. Asking. your Mentor for business will result in an immediate dismissal from the program. Once committed to the program, mentee agrees to complete the one-year program. if mentee withdraws they acknowledge that their membership fees are non-refundable.