Advisor Mentorship Program
Participating in the program with a partial open mind, you’ll get
something. Participating with a full open mind, and your mentor beside you,
the world’s your limit.
– Cyndie Adams, WLA Mentee
“The coaching, support, encouragement and feedback I received
in my early years helped propel me into my future, and I enjoy giving
back and encouraging others towards success.
– Kristy Sullivan, WLA Mentor
What Makes the WLA Mentorship Experience Unique?
Traditional mentorship programs often miss the mark — especially for women navigating an historically male-dominated profession. The Women’s Leadership Alliance set out to change that by building a mentorship experience by women, for women, focused on meaningful support and real outcomes. Many mentorship programs rely on a one-size-fits-all model, with pre-determined goals, little accountability, and mentors who may not understand the lived experiences of women in this profession.
WE CREATED SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
The WLA Woman to Woman Advisor Mentorship Program is designed to offer a more impactful and personalized mentorship journey.
Here’s how it stands apart:
- Personalized Goals – No top-down mandates here. Mentees define what success means to them, whether it’s leadership growth, building confidence,
work-life balance, client relationships, or taking their book of business to the next level. - Thoughtful Pairings – We match mentees with mentors who truly get it —those with similar backgrounds, experiences, and values.
- Comprehensive Facilitation – Each mentor cohort offers workshops to prepare for your mentorship, and ongoing support for both mentee and mentor to ensure a successful mentorship experience.
- Continuous Engagement – Monthly check-ins keep everyone connected, supported, and growing together.
- A Lifelong Community – During and after the six-month program, participants have access to WLA Membership Ambassador Community — a powerful collective of advisors, leaders, and allies sharing resources and support to elevate women in finance.
Participants consistently tell us how transformative this program has been — not just professionally, but personally. Having a mentor who truly understands and champions their journey has been a game-changer.
Applications for the Program will Open Late Summer 2025
Becoming a WLA Mentee
The WLA Mentorship program has been designed to provide one-on-one professional development to women in their financial planning careers through the support and experience of another financial advising woman. Mentees identify specific areas of professional development for their mentorship and are matched with mentors to support those defined goals. Possible areas of mentorship focus include: Professional Presence, Public Speaking, Financial Analysis, Strategic Thinking, Networking, Client Acquisition, Account Management, Divorce Planning, Estate Planning, Developing a Marketing Plan, Branding Your Practice, to name just a few.
Mentee Criteria
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience working as a financial advisor
- Completion of the WLA Mentee application form
- Two professional references
- Participation in a WLA mentorship program interview
- Must be a member of the WLA Ambassador community upon acceptance into the Mentorship Program (see further information below)
Mentee Program Commitments
- Participation in initial virtual goal-setting training and virtual program training with your mentor
- Commitment to consistently participate in two mentorship sessions each month of the program.
- Commitment to consistently engaging in one monthly feedback session with other mentees
The program may not be a fit for you at this time if:
- You are still learning “the basics” and are looking for training related to the
systems or processes of your particular firm or office. - You are unable to consistently commit to the program and mentoring sessions throughout the six-month period.
The program might be a great fit for you if: - You are ready to challenge yourself to grow personally and professionally.
- You value the perspective and experience of other women in the financial advising profession
- You are able to commit to two (2) training sessions and two (2) monthly mentor meetings sessions and one (1) feedback session between January 2026-June 2026.
- You want to be a part of an empowering and empowered community of women in the financial advising profession!
The WLA Ambassador Community for Mentees:
The Ambassador Community of the WLA is a membership community of advisors, allies and advocates sharing resources, tools, and support to advance women in the financial advising profession. All WLA mentees must be members of the Ambassador community prior to the initial mentee training. This membership requires no additional time but does provide access to ongoing networking and support to both mentors and mentees. The membership dues are $150/year or $75/year for early career advisors in their first four years. Upon acceptance into the program, mentees agree to join the Ambassador community. No other costs are associated with the mentorship program.
Becoming a WLA MENTOR
The WLA Mentorship program would not be possible without the amazing women who give of their time to mentor another woman. With that in mind, we have structured our program to ensure that the time our mentors invest is time well spent, providing both mentor and mentee with an initial onboarding, together with a proven program framework to guide the mentor/mentee experience.
During the application and training period, mentees identify particular areas of development in which they would like to focus. Possible areas of mentorship focus include: Professional Presence, Public Speaking, Financial Analysis, Strategic Thinking, Networking, Client Acquisition, Account Management, Divorce Planning, Estate Planning, Developing a Marketing Plan, Strategic Planning, Branding Your Practice, to name just a few. We use this information to help match mentors with mentees whose goals are aligned with your areas of experience.
Mentor Criteria & Commitments
There is no single profile of the ideal mentor. Our mentors represent a range of years of experience in the business and in working within a variety of different models. The one quality that all mentors have in common: the desire to positively influence the life and career of another woman in the financial advising profession.
- Participation in one initial virtual training program with your mentee
- Commitment to consistently meet with mentee 2x per month for 1 hour
- Commitment to participate in 3 mentor feedback sessions for 45 minutes with other mentors.
The WLA Ambassador Community:
The Ambassador Community of the WLA is a membership community of advisors, allies and advocates receiving and sharing resources, tools, and support to advance women in the financial advising profession. WLA mentors are asked to become a part of the Ambassador community during their time in the program. This participation requires no additional time but does provide access to ongoing networking and support to both mentors and mentees.
The top thing I got out of the mentorship was confidence. My mentor Traci has instilled in me that I can do this and that I will succeed.
– Kate Starkey, WLA Mentee– Alexa Kane, WLA Mentee
My role is to really be the champion, because I know it can be done, because I’ve walked that whole gauntlet. It’s all about accelerating success.
– Pamela Grey, WLA Mentor