Pay it Forward…Become a Mentor
TEAMS Mentor Program · Silicon Couloir · 2027
Mentoring with TEAMS
TEAMS mentors are volunteers who meet as a team with a founder, helping them grow as a leader and build a stronger venture. The role asks for real time and steady presence. This page explains what to weigh before you apply, how we evaluate mentors, what we ask once you join, and what happens if you can't show up the way a team needs.
Step 1
Is this the right time?
Before you apply, take an honest look at two things: how much time you can give each month, and how much of the year you're here to give it in person.
Your time
At least one team
Each team means a 90-minute meeting, prep beforehand, notes afterward and the occasional check-in, plus mentor gatherings through the year.
Your time in the region
Here in person when it counts
Most mentors live in the Teton region at least six months a year. You'll attend every new team's first meeting in person, and gatherings are where the mentor community forms. If you're here less, ask yourself whether you'll travel in for those moments.
The long view
Steady for the stretch
Ventures stay in TEAMS about a year and a half on average. Founders count on mentors who stay consistent over that stretch, busy seasons included.
Time calculator
What will mentoring take each month?
Start from the minimum or the ideal, then adjust to match what you're considering.
Your monthly time
Estimates per meeting: 90-minute session, up to 30 minutes of agenda review, 15 minutes for your Mentor Assessment, and about 15 extra minutes for Lead Mentors. Check-ins add roughly 15 minutes a team each month. Travel to in-person kickoffs isn't included.
Step 2
How we evaluate mentors
We look at your application, your interview and how you engage with the program as a whole. The wheel shows how much each consideration counts. Availability and temperament carry the most weight, and expertise comes next. Strength in one area can make up for a gap in another, but mentors who are weak on availability or temperament are rarely accepted. Select a slice for details.
Weighted most heavily
Weighted more
Also considered
Where you live. Living in the Teton region at least six months a year is the norm. We make exceptions for mentors who travel in for in-person meetings and mentor gatherings and who lean into engagement. Deep expertise can also outweigh location.
Who decides. TEAMS staff review every mentor application and make case-by-case decisions, with input from the TEAMS committee when needed.
Step 3
What we ask of you
Every accepted mentor agrees to the following. We'll go deeper during onboarding and training.
From application to your first team
- StartApplyShare your background, expertise and availability
- 45 to 60 minInterviewUsually virtual, or in person if you prefer
- Staff reviewAcceptance decisionWith committee input when needed
- Before your first teamOnboardingSign the confidentiality and conflict-of-interest policies. Complete the video training, about 1 hour.Required
- KickoffFirst teamThe first meeting is held in personRequired, every team
- By month 6Lead a teamMost mentors have been asked by now
Once your team launches
Around every session
How a mentor session runs
Why your notes matter. Staff read every set of notes and track who submits them. Your Mentor Assessment, alongside the founder's notes and the Lead Report, lets staff judge a team's progress and fit from several viewpoints, so decisions stay neutral and grounded. Missing notes mean phone calls one by one, and notes let a mentor who joins later catch up quickly.
Advise. Don't do.
Founder first, venture second.Mentors do
- ✓Listen first and ask questions that open things up
- ✓Share experience and candid feedback
- ✓Assign homework and hold the founder to their goals
- ✓Advise with the triple bottom line in mind
Mentors don't
- ✕Do the work for the founder
- ✕Act as an operating board or consultant
- ✕Push their own vision of success
- ✕Expect time outside meetings beyond occasional check-ins
Mentor gatherings
We need you to show up and take part at least half the time.
That's 2 of the 4 gatherings we hold each year, about 1.5 hours each. Staff track RSVPs, attendance and no-shows.
Three ways to mentor
Leading adds a little coordination, not much more time.Mentor Specialist
An industry or discipline expert who joins a meeting, or works one-on-one with a founder, when asked. Be available when called on, in person or virtually, and attend half of gatherings when you can.
Mentor
At least one team. Come prepared, show up, and submit your Mentor Assessment after every meeting.
Lead Mentor
Sets the tone, keeps the team on the founder's goals, and submits the Lead Report. A team can't launch without one, so when you're asked, we hope you'll say yes.
Step 4
Staying active
Mentors are encouraged to stay as long as they're interested and able. Here's what keeps you active, and what happens when that changes.
Your mentor status
- You show up to meetings prepared
- You submit your Mentor Assessment within 48 hours
- You attend at least half of mentor gatherings
- You respond to staff promptly
- You bring the temperament the role asks for
- You tell us you're stepping away
- About 6 months without a team because you've declined or not answered invitations
- Fewer than half of mentor gatherings over a year
- You stop responding to staff
If you can't show up the way a team needs
- Staff check inWe track meetings, notes and event attendance, so we'll notice and reach out.
- A direct conversationWe'll talk with you about what's getting in the way and what needs to change.
- Pause or endIf it continues, we'll pause or end your involvement. Moving to a different team is an option only when the conflict is specific to one team's schedule.
Every mentor receives feedback. Concerns are reviewed by staff and, when needed, Silicon Couloir leadership. Honesty about a change in your capacity or interest is always welcome. It saves everyone time and keeps teams from stalling.
Step 5
Ready to apply?
If the time and the role fit, you're ready to start. The application opens in Traction5, our mentoring platform. Next comes a 45 to 60 minute interview, usually virtual.
Questions first? Email teams@siliconcouloir.com
Supporting TEAMS
Your time is the heart of TEAMS. Philanthropy keeps it beating.
The hours you give a founder are the most valuable thing this program has, and no budget could replace them. We're grateful for every one.
TEAMS is free to every founder it serves. Someone carries the cost of everything that happens around your meetings: recruiting and matching mentors, reading every set of notes, checking in with founders and Lead Mentors, training, hosting gatherings, and the software that holds it all together.
Mentors understand that work better than anyone, so we will ask you, as we ask everyone close to the program, to consider a gift to Silicon Couloir in support of TEAMS. Every gift is welcome, at any size.
To talk about a gift, email teams@siliconcouloir.com
Gaile Gordon- TEAMS Mentor
““Having spent much of my career as an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, volunteering with Silicon Couloir is the ideal way for me to contribute to the Jackson community (and beyond). Interacting with the diverse participants in the TEAMS program has been enjoyable and inspirational. I feel lucky to be part of the Silicon Couloir ecosystem.”
Julie Rutland- Founder, Remote Dietitans & TEAMS Mentee
“Working with TEAMS has been incredibly impactful for my business. Having a supportive team to guide me, and a space to discuss ideas, not only accelerated my growth but also gave me the confidence I needed as a new entrepreneur.”
David Hopkins- TEAMS Mentor
“I’ve been blessed with many opportunities in life and giving back is important. Helping young people be the best they can be, whatever their chosen path, is vital to all our futures. Silicon Couloir is a perfect vehicle to realize that goal. ”
