Who Opens the Door for You?
Early in my career, I came across a job opening for a junior position on a project in the Dominican Republic. It was exactly the kind of opportunity I wanted. Then I read the job description. I looked at the requirements and convinced myself I did not have enough of the skills they were looking for. I didn’t apply. The deadline passed.
Shortly thereafter, I attended a conference where I ran into a colleague. She knew about the position and asked whether I had applied. When I told her I hadn’t, she simply asked, “Why not?”
I explained that I didn’t think I was qualified enough. Instead of giving me a long speech about confidence, she did something much more practical. The hiring manager happened to be at the same conference, so she went over, spoke with him and arranged for us to have lunch. By the end of that day, he had called headquarters and asked them to hold the process because one more application was coming.
Mine.
A year after that conference, I was sitting in the Dominican Republic watching a beautiful sunset after a day of work.
I still think about how easily that chapter of my career might never have happened. Not because I lacked the ability, but because I had already decided that the opportunity wasn’t for me. But someone saw something different and opened a door.
Mentorship is more than advice
The best mentors do not simply give advice. They help us see opportunities differently. They challenge the assumptions we make about ourselves. They make introductions, share their networks and sometimes ask the simple question we need to hear, “Why not you?”
Mentorship is ultimately about access.
Access to another perspective.
Access to experience.
Access to a network.
Access to opportunities.
And sometimes, access to a version of your own potential that is easier for someone else to see.
That idea sits at the heart of the Elevate Mentorship Program.
From one relationship to a network
The Tandem Global Elevate Mentorship Program, a flagship program of the Elevate Network, is much more than a traditional mentor–mentee match. It is about creating relationships that can grow into something bigger. Mentors bring experience, perspective and connections. Mentees bring fresh thinking, new expertise and different ways of seeing the world.
One conversation can lead to an introduction.
One introduction can lead to a collaboration.
And one relationship can become part of a much broader professional network.
Those of us working across business, nature, climate and sustainability rarely operate within one discipline or one sector. We move between companies, communities, disciplines, conservation organizations, governments and investors. Technical expertise matters. But so does the ability to build trust, navigate different worlds and create connections. In that sense, your network is not separate from your ability to create impact. It is part of it.
Applications for the Elevate Mentorship Program are now open!
As the inaugural program comes to a close, we are excited to open applications for the next Elevate Mentorship Program.
We are seeking both mentors and mentees.
As a mentor, you don’t need to have all the answers. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is a perspective, an introduction, encouragement, or the ability to recognize an opportunity someone else is overlooking.
Becoming a mentee is not about waiting for someone else to shape your career. It is about deliberately making space for another perspective, expanding your network, and being open to possibilities you may not yet see.
Applications are open through October 1, 2026.
Maybe this time, you’ll be the person opening the door or maybe someone will open one for you.
