Mentor toWin

THE VALUE IN BUILDING LIFE-LONG RELATIONSHIPS

A SPECIAL DEDICATION TO MR. AL WIEBE Al Wiebe, or Mr. Wiebe as many students knew him, was an exceptionally popular teacher at Kelvin High School. He was never my teacher, but I got to know him well through my participation in school musicals. He was one of those teachers that everyone loved, whether they were in his class or not. Not only was he an incredible mentor, role model and support to his students at school, his influence extended years after his students left Kelvin. He played an active role in planning school reunions and he stayed in touch with hundreds of his former students. He continued to be a positive force throughout the lives of the people he was a role model to, and is the perfect example of how and why mentoring can change lives. About five years ago, I reconnected with Al on Facebook. He and his wife, Darcy, saw a story about me in the Winnipeg Free Press and he wanted to congratulate me. During that exchange I realized what an incredible following he had on Facebook – I also learned that he was battling cancer. Al’s strength and positive attitude during his long battle against cancer was inspiring to many, and it was the support that he received from his legacy of people that kept him going as long as he did. Al’s genuine interest in other people guided him through his life and ultimately became his source of strength during his most challenging days. Al Wiebe passed away in July, but his legacy will live on through the teachers, students and parents he inspired. He was an incredible mentor and will be forever missed.

— Yoko Chapman

Text by Yoko Chapman he act of mentoring is sharing your life experiences to help others realize their own potential, set goals and learn from your example and knowledge. It means offering support, empowerment and motivation to help people establish a vision of where they want to go, and who they hope to be. When you mentor, you are investing in others and the act of sincerely caring whether they fail or succeed can make all the difference. Many business owners become mentors as a way to give back and pay it forward. When you mentor, you become a catalyst for change and you’ll often make a friend for life. There is no greater feeling in business than to watch a protégé reach the height of their success because of your support. Often mentors gain the most out of the relationship, growing their support network, gaining new experiences and learning new skills from tomorrow’s leaders. For this issue, I went in search of prolific Winnipeg mentors and found four people who have impacted dozens of lives. I’ve noticed that often the people who give the most don’t even know it; they consider themselves to be the ones who have gained. This group fits that description to a tee. I hope you enjoy learning more about the following four individuals: Doug Stephen, WOW! Hospitality Concepts Inc. Sharing experience and wisdom to empower up-and-coming restaurateurs Joelle Foster, Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) Tirelessly supporting entrepreneurs and business owners Nigel Bart, Artbeat Studio Helping artists with mental illness survive and thrive Leslie Lounsbury, SAY Magazine Giving Aboriginal youth a place to learn and grow

The best part about mentoring is that any one of us can be a mentor. Think about what you have to offer and the wisdom that you could share. We all have the ability to make an impact on at least one person’s life, possibly even thousands. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, charities and government career start programs offer a great place to start. You can also get involved in business or community organizations where you will meet people that can benefit from your knowledge and experience. Lastly, contact a mentoring program within your community, as there is always a demand for people who can help. The Canadian Youth Business Foundation is currently looking for additional volunteers. Learn how you can get involved at www.cybf.ca

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