The SFNet Mentoring program, sponsored by the Secured Finance Foundation and the SFNet DEI Committee, has become a cornerstone of professional growth and community building within our industry. In this interview, we highlight the journey of Emily Neuherz, senior associate, Capital Foundry and a passionate advocate and past mentee of the program. Emily’s experience not only underscores the immense value of mentorship but also serves as a testament to the transformative impact it can have on career development. Through her story, we hope to inspire both new potential mentees and mentors to join our upcoming Fall iteration, and embark on a path of mutual growth, learning and success.

TSL Express: Can you please give some background on your involvement with SFNet’s mentoring program? How long have you been involved and what did it entail?

Emily Neuherz: I applied to the spring 2023 program on a whim. I have been in the industry for about seven years and was ready to expand my network and meet SFNet members.

The program has two main components: a monthly group meeting with all mentees and mentors, plus a one-on-one meeting at a frequency decided with your mentor. Mentor Terry Keating, CEO of Access Capital, and I spoke weekly from May 2023 through the end of the program in July 2023, and we have continued to speak monthly for the past year.

There is also a LinkedIn group for the cohort to post links, updates, and was otherwise a way to stay connected between monthly group meetings.

You went from being a mentee to a “mentor champion”— can you explain more about this?

I received so much value from the program that I decided to volunteer as a mentor champion. In this role, I acted somewhere between mentor and mentee. I attended planning meetings, gave feedback, and moderated group mentoring breakout rooms. I did not mentor anyone, however.

For someone reading this and thinking about applying to be a mentee, can you share what you got out of the program? Why should someone invest the time?

My best advice is to hit send on that application…and then when you’re accepted, give it an honest effort. All of the mentors are industry greats who are generously giving you their time. Make it worthwhile. Come prepared with topics to discuss and questions to ask them. What you put into the relationship is what you will get out of it. These mentors are here to be a resource for the mentees, and taking full advantage of this will yield the best results.

For me, not only did I gain a mentor in Terry, but also a friendship. I’m relatively new to managing a team, and I’ve bounced many ideas off Terry and asked for his advice. At the SFNet Annual Convention, Terry introduced me to his contacts and allowed me to network with him. Terry is helping me build my brand, establish my style of leadership, and often gives me insightful feedback that only a mentor is qualified to give. To work with Terry over the past 18 months was an incredible experience and my confidence is night and day compared to when I began this process.

How often are you in touch with Terry? Is it the type of mentor/mentee relationship where you have a standing call, or do you feel you can reach out for advice/guidance at any time?

Terry and Ispeak monthly and stay in contact via text intermittently. He has generously given me time on his calendar, and I do not take it for granted!

It is no secret that mentorship is an important component to success. The best part of being in the SFNet mentoring program is that it is free for SFNet members. 100% of the sessions are conducted via Zoom or phone. The time is going to pass anyway, why not apply to the mentoring program and get connected? Why not expand your network? The fantastic part is that the mentors are already here, waiting for mentees. This mentoring program is one of the most valuable programs that directly benefits young professionals.

What did you like most about being a mentee and then a mentor champion? Do you plan to do another round for the upcoming iteration?

The best part about being a mentee in the program is how quickly you can begin to network with both mentors and mentees. The big group meetings every month are a great way to put some faces to names. I was able to use this as an icebreaker when I was networking at the Annual Convention and the Women in Secured Finance Conference. It can be intimidating to introduce yourself to someone who is significantly more experienced in the industry than you, but having that common ground makes it easier. Plus, anyone who is a mentor cares about the program and the mentees and wants to make that connection. I often remind myself that at one point, those same mentors were young professionals just like me, making connections and growing their careers.

I expect to stay involved with the mentoring program in some capacity. In the meantime, I will recruit as many new mentees as I can to join us for our next mentoring cohort!  If you are interested in being a mentor or mentee, contact the staff at the SFNet so you can get added to the list. You will not regret it!

The application period for SFNet’s Fall 2024 Mentoring Program is July 31 through August 30. The program will run mid-September through early December. Please click here for more information and to apply.