OUT for Business (OFB)
Our work to support the 2SLGBTQI+ business community extends to ensuring its future.
OUT For Business (formerly OUT For Business Youth Entrepreneur program) is Canada’s only national mentorship program for 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs.
OUT For Business supports a group of 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs each year by connecting business leaders in our community with the next generation of leaders to provide support and guidance in growing their businesses. One-on-one and group mentoring sessions allow mentors and mentees to expand their knowledge and networks and create a mutually beneficial space for sharing experiences and expertise. The 10-month program advances 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs of all ages from diverse backgrounds. Mentors and mentees with intersecting identities are especially encouraged to register.
To find out more information, please contact Idara Effiom, Mentorship Manager – idara.effiom@cglcc.ca.
Thank you for the interest! Applications for the 2024/25 cohort are now closed!
Applications for the 2025/26 cohort will open in Summer 2025!
Mentees, are you interested in connecting with business leaders in your community?
Find the guidance you need for your business through mentorship and business development education. 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs in Canada are encouraged to apply to CGLCC’s OUT for Business Entrepreneur Mentorship Program.
Please note that OUT For Business is now open to all ages! We welcome mentees of any age (18+) at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
We pair you with leaders in the 2SLGBTQI+ community whose one-on-one mentoring will help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of starting and growing a business. We also provide tailored educational programming and chances to learn from other entrepreneurs in your cohort.
Examples of sessions are, but not limited to:
- Marketing and Branding for Diverse Communities
- Sustainability in Business
- Leveraging Diversity and Identity as a Strength in Business
Mentees are required to…
- Self-identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community
- Be a part-time or full-time entrepreneur
- Commit to the time requirements: 4-6 hours per month for 10 months (September 2024 to June 2025)
- Complete OUT For Business’s training sessions
- Be located in Canada
Please note we might reach out to applicants for a short chat or additional information.
Mentors, are you ready to support 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs?
Are you a 2SLGBTQI+ business leader seeking ways to give back to the community, all while expanding your own learning and professional network? OUT For Business mentors draw on their experience and expertise to help 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs access new spaces and reach their business goals. Mentors’ practical guidance keeps entrepreneurs motivated as they navigate the obstacles on the road to success.
Mentoring a 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneur does not require special credentials. Entrepreneurial experience is not required to become a mentor. We welcome professionals, employees, retirees, and individuals with relevant expertise in marketing, business development, financial planning, and related fields who can share their valuable skills and experience with a mentee.
OUT For Business will train you on the best ways to accompany your mentee and offer you optional additional programming and networking opportunities. Your training and encouragement will be invaluable to an entrepreneur’s success.
All mentors are required to…
- Self-identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community
- Commit to the time requirements: 3 hours per month for 10 months (September 2024 to June 2025)
- Meet their mentee virtually or in person at least once a month for at least 1 hour/month over 10 months (September 2024 to June 2025)
- Complete OUT For Business’s training sessions
- Be located in Canada
Special considerations for mentors who are entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs*:
Mentors who are entrepreneurs are required to have run a business (sole proprietorship, partnership, registered or incorporated) that has been in operation for 2+ years.
Mentors who are intrapreneurs* are required to have worked at least 2 years in a corporate/business or nonprofit environment.
*An intrapreneur is an employee of an organization who is tasked with developing an innovative idea or project/marketing within a company.
Please note we might reach out to applicants for a short chat or additional information.
Mentorship is a relationship in which one person (the mentor) offers their support and the benefit of their experience to another, less experienced, person (the mentee). The goal of mentorship is to give the mentee a source of support and wisdom that can help them set goals, identify and overcome obstacles, and find the help they need to realize their objectives.
The mentee expresses their ambitions, expectations, and doubts. They ask questions, test their ideas, look for solutions, and try things suggested by their mentor. The mentor listens, reflects back, advises, and encourages.
Some mentoring relationships spend most time on professional development; others, on emotional or psychosocial support. Most mentoring relationships include elements of both.
OUT For Business will combine mentorship (1:1 and group.), business development education, networking, matchmaking, and wellness support to provide 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs and businesspeople a thriving environment to succeed and build community!
Mentors and mentees must complete 3 hours of interactive online training before they are matched to a mentee/mentor. After training, mentees and mentors are expected to meet regularly on a schedule that works for both parties. Most mentor-mentee pairs meet for 2 or 3 hours per month. OUT For Business strongly encourages mentees and mentors to meet at least monthly.
Mentors commit to making themselves available at least 3 hours per month for 10 months. Mentors are invited to bimonthly mentor-only meetups and other opportunities to network. They also participate in occasional check-ins with OUT For Business staff.
Mentees commit to spending 4-6 hours per month on the program for a period of 10 months. Mentees will have monthly networking and matchmaking sessions and occasional check-ins with OUT For Business staff.
While OUT for Business prioritises mentee-led matching, the program will use a combination of mentee-led and admin-led matching. Mentee-led matching means that mentees can have a say in/choose their mentors from a pool of possible matches. Admin-led matching means the program administrators choose the mentoring pairs/groups. In the 2024/25 cohort, mentees will be able to identify characteristics they are looking for in a mentor. This match will be facilitated by the CGLCC team.
- Access to a personal sounding-board
- Access to CGLCC’s network and business development sessions
- Opportunity to test ideas and strategies on a person with experience
- Opportunity to practice communication and relationship skills
- Access to suggestions based on experience
- Membership in a community of current and alumni Out For Business mentees and access to mentee-only meet-ups
- Access to CGLCC events
- Upon completing the program, mentees are invited to pursue certification as diverse suppliers. Currently, CGLCC offers one year of free certification to businesses that register as diverse suppliers.
- Satisfaction of “paying it forward”
- Connect with other businesspeople in CGLCC’s ecosystem
- Access to business development programming
- Grow the 2SLGBTQI+ business community
- Learn about new products, services, and ways of doing business
- Develop leadership skills outside of a hierarchical relationship
- Become a better communicator and influencer
- Make a real difference
- Membership in a community of current and alumni Out For Business mentors and access to mentor-only meet-ups
- Access to CGLCC events
More information on the OUT For Business Program
Gold Partners
Partners
Past Partners
Being part of the OUT for Business mentorship program helped me big time in addressing (our business’) challenges. We’ve become a lot more focused on our own financial sustainability – an area we were not focused on before. As a result, we started offering a new service that would enable us to become more profitable so we can have the financial sustainability to continue doing the good work that we’re doing.
Rafik Riad (Mentee), Founder, Buy Good Feel Good Expo
Since being in the OUT for Business program, our business has been flourishing just through the people that we have met, the opportunities that we have gained, as well as using the resources and the tools and the education that we have gained through the whole one-year program. If you didn’t have the program, we wouldn’t be able to get these opportunities.
Anelia Victor (Mentee), Co-founder, The Original Smiths
The program is important to pass on the experience that you’ve gained as a business owner… because there’s a lot to know. The business side of running a business can sometimes be challenging. There’s so many things to know. I love the idea of helping a young entrepreneur, especially in the 2SLGBTQI+ community, to help them learn from my mistakes or learn from the things that we learned as we were starting out.
Sonja Schraf (Mentor), Co-Owner, Akasha Art Projects Inc.
Participating in the OUT for Business Program has been transformative for me. As a mentee, I have connected with inspiring business leaders and my mentor, Russell from Framework Leadership, gaining invaluable insights through one-on-one mentoring and group workshops. This experience has expanded my knowledge and network, propelling osda Architecture + Consulting forward. The program’s support for diverse entrepreneurs has provided a nurturing environment for growth. It has shaped my entrepreneurial path and empowered me to give back to the community. At osda, we are dedicated to sustainable design practices, including Passive House standards, to help save the planet. This program has further strengthened our mission.
Nilton Lin (Mentee), Founder, OSDA Architecture + Consulting