The Georgia Mentor Protégé Connection (GMPC)
provides opportunities for Georgia small businesses to
partner with a corporate mentor for a period of one year.
The Georgia Mentor Protégé Connection is one of the premier mentoring initiatives in the nation. Founded over 20 years ago as the Governor’s Mentor Protégé Program, it was incorporated into the GEF portfolio in 2012. The GMPC pairs eligible Georgia small businesses with corporate mentors in the same business sector or a related industry for a one-year business development partnership. Participants undergo a rigorous assessment to determine what their areas of opportunity are, followed by the establishment of goals for the partnership. There is a yearlong calendar of meetings, training sessions, retreats and one-on-one coaching that can focus on finance, HR, infrastructure, logistics, product offerings or any other mutually beneficial area. GMPC alumni and are among Georgia’s top small businesses, receiving regional and national recognition and prestigious awards, emerging as subject matter experts in their categories, and winning major contracts. The program has graduated hundreds of firms over its 21-year history.
Program Benefits
Mentoring and one-on-one coaching from global corporate partners
Exposure to thought leaders and industry experts throughout the year
Customed tailored partnership goals and objectives specific to the protégé
Leadership development experience that accelerates MBE success
Relationships with corporate mentors who may become clients one day
“The Georgia Mentor Protégé Connection has
a proven track record of positive impact on the companies who participate.
Everybody needs a mentor, and this level of engagement can eliminate many of the pitfalls
that cause small businesses to fail. I can’t say enough about all of the
trailblazing things our alumni are doing,
because of what they learned in the program.”