For Entrepreneurs

How do I connect with an advisor or mentor?

Once you are a member, you can log in and click on “Explore Community” to view our volunteer profiles. If you see someone you’d like to meet, send them a message and request an Intro Meeting. If you decide to commit to collaborating with them, you can meet with your advisor or mentor by phone, video chat or in-person. After your intro meeting, you can use messaging to discuss the best way to get in contact (email, text, phone) and how often you would like to meet.

Do I qualify for the skysthelimit.org program and services?

We accept underrepresented entrepreneurs ages 18-29 years old. If you are an entrepreneur from that age group, you identify as being from an group statistically underrepresented in entrepreneurship, and you are motivated and ready to work on your business, you qualify for our program.

Am I ready for support from an advisor or mentor?

Once accepted into the program, the only qualification for getting started with a supporter is that you’re ready to get to work! You can use messaging to reach out to our volunteers to request to work on your business plan, get advice on a specific problem or project, or build a team of supporters.

Are the services from skysthelimit.org free?

Currently our services are free for all entrepreneurs and volunteers! Although we may move to a subscription model in the future, we will always offer some level of support for free, and we are committed to keeping our resources accessible to those who need them most. We are a certified non-profit organization.

What is the Orientation process like?

The live group orientation helps us learn about you and hear your passion for building a business. You’ll also meet other young Entrepreneurs in our program.

After you complete your profile and verify your contact information, you are invited to complete your orientation. If you attend a live orientation, we’ll chat with you about what led you to start a business and your business idea and tell you more about the support that will be available to you.

We want to work with entrepreneurs who want to work with us, so being punctual and ready to participate is important.

I was accepted into the program. What should I do now?

Explore the community and use messaging to make request support from a volunteer or another entrepreneur when you’re ready to get to work. Also, make sure you’ve filled out your profile and business plan, and check out the resources available to you at learning.skysthelimit.org!

What is the commitment that I make as a member?

By joining our program, you are making the following commitment:

  1. You’ll only request support when you’re ready to actively work with one of our volunteer advisors or mentors.

  2. Once you’ve connected with someone who agrees to meet, you’ll set up a meeting (by phone, video chat, or in-person) within three days.

  3. You’ll attend scheduled meetings on time or provide 24 hours notice if you need to reschedule.

  4. You’ll rate your experience and provide feedback when asked.

Volunteer FAQs

What is the skysthelimit.org volunteer program?

Skysthelimit.org provides a volunteer opportunity for experienced professionals who want to use their skills to impact the lives of entrepreneurial young people. Our volunteers help young entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. As a volunteer supporter, you can reach out to any of our entrepreneurs via messaging, or you they may reach out to you to request your help based on your profile information. To read more, visit our volunteer page.

Am I a good fit for the skysthelimit.org volunteer program?

All advisors and mentors on skysthelimit.org should have:

  • Exceptional interpersonal & listening skills

  • Multiple years of business experience, either as a business-owner, a start-up team member or in a specific area of expertise

  • An aptitude and passion for developing skills in our young entrepreneurs

If you have more questions about volunteer fit, feel free to reach out to us at program@skysthelimit.org.

What are my options for volunteering?

Volunteers are encouraged to provide whatever level of commitment they can.

For instance, you can help as an advisor and provide short-term support for a young entrepreneur in a specific area of their business. This can involve as little as one hour for a single meeting, or can involve a considerable effort for a short time frame if the support offered is more involved (e.g. support in designing a website or advice on structuring their bookkeeping).

Or you might choose to develop longer engagements. Mentors work with entrepreneurs an average of one hour per week for a year, providing a combination of specific expertise and overall coaching and support. A mentoring relationship typically starts with a short-term project so that the volunteer and the entrepreneur have the opportunity to try the relationship on a smaller scale before advancing to a mentor/mentee relationship.

What are the time commitments for volunteering with skysthelimit.org?

By joining skysthelimit.org as a volunteer you are committing to:

  1. Respond to any entrepreneur that reaches out. If you receive too many requests, you can pause new messages in your messaging settings or reach out to support@skysthelimit.org for assistance.

  2. Meet with at least one entrepreneur for an Intro Meeting as soon as possible.

  3. If you decide to commit to further collaboration with an entrepreneur, you both commit to attending scheduled meetings on time, or provide 24 hours notice if you need to reschedule.

  4. Rate your experience and provide feedback and updates when asked.