When great mentors come to mind, it’s usually pop culture figures like Yoda or Mr. Miyagi. In ticketing circles, INTIX members can find their own personal Dumbledore or Master Shifu by looking to the INTIX Mentor Program, which has become a great way to connect veterans, relatively new ticketing professionals and those who have been in the industry for a while and needing a boost or wise counsel. It helps create relationships and opportunities for all of them.
In this two-part article, we will first talk with committee leaders who have been tasked with shepherding the program over the years and bringing mentors and mentees together. Next week, part two will showcase the actual mentors and mentees themselves.
Of course, the best place to start is always at the top. Jenna Winters, Box Office Manager at the Wisconsin Historical Society, serves as the current co-chair of the INTIX Mentor Committee. She describes the program as a “built-in networking opportunity” where both mentors and mentees will “always learn something new.”
She says, “As current co-chair, it’s been even more eye-opening — beyond my own participation as a past mentee — to see the work my predecessors have put into this program and the benefit it continues to bring to the INTIX membership. The INTIX Mentor Program is a great way for mentors to share their expertise and ‘give back’ to INTIX and future ticketing generations. It is equally a huge resource for mentees, particularly those new to the ticketing world or having gone through a significant role or vertical change.”
Her committee co-chair is Jon Secunda, Director of Box Office Operations for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He says what mentees get out of the program is the combined experience and wisdom of some top-notch mentors across the many industry verticals they encompass. He adds, “Another aspect not as obvious is the ability to connect and build relationships and networks away from the INTIX Conference and Wednesday Wisdom calls. Not everyone is comfortable walking up to colleagues at the conference and introducing themselves or speaking up on the calls. The Mentor Program offers a more private form of introduction that can be the start of a great relationship that often builds into other networking opportunities.”
Both Winters and Secunda have learned themselves from the examples set by previous committee chairs. One such past leader is Raleigh Hawk, who recently stepped away from the industry to explore some self-improvement opportunities. He says, “When it comes to the best thing the program does for the mentee and the mentor, I think it is one and the same. The program offers a light speed path to networking. The number of mentees and mentors who have become lifelong friends is always staggering to me. It really is like having a mini INTIX meet-and-greet all throughout the year!”
David Damerell, Assistant Director of Ticket Services for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Virginia, echoes those sentiments. During his time as committee chair, he came to learn that the program helps mentees realize “you are not alone in this industry. We all go through similar hurdles whether it be an RFP process, rough on-sale or rude customers. Having someone outside your organization to talk to about it all is extremely helpful.”
Committee members who have not achieved chair status were also willing to go on record for this article and talk about the program’s virtues. One such pro is Summer Gossett, Public Ticketing Manager for Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. “Ticketing is such an odd profession, as our workforce is such a specialized niche,” she remarks. “Having relationships with other ticketing professionals makes us all better. We all don’t know everything — well, at least I don’t!”
Her committee member colleague, AEG Product Manager Miranda Gamez, loves what the program does for mentors specifically. “A sense of purpose and fulfillment!” she exclaims. “By sharing their knowledge and experiences, mentors can see the direct impact of their guidance on the mentee's growth and success. I think this allows an opportunity for the mentor to hone their leadership and communication skills, stay updated with industry trends and gain fresh perspectives.”
Equally enthusiastic is Stay22’s Lucille Pickering, also a past committee member who says the Mentor Program “is not just about learning new skills. Mentees get to connect with a whole community and even find potential job leads. Having a mentor to lean on during tough times, such as a job transition, is invaluable.”
Ticketing consultant Cindy Jones, who has also served on the committee, adds, “The program also allows for flexibility, where mentors and mentees can opt in or out based on their availability, and new pairings can happen each quarter to maximize learning opportunities.”
Which begs the question: How is each mentor paired with their mentee? Is it like a “dating service” where the committee tries to match up compatibilities, or is it purely a random process? And does either side have any say or input into the process?
Winters takes the lead once again in replying, “It’s in between! While it’s sort of like a blind date, we do provide context to our mentees on who the current term’s mentors are with a bio of each. The mentees get to decide who they’d like to select. We certainly try to ensure there is agency and balance throughout the matching experience.”
When Anja Arvo, Senior Sales Lead for Ferve Tickets in Australia, was a co-chair, she says she “tried to implement a better matching process when the program moved from mentor groups to one-on-one mentoring. There were some neat software programs we looked at that could do this, but they were too costly for the scope of the program. Instead, we manually collected mentor skills and mentee interests with their sign-up form, and I input them into an Excel spreadsheet. I created some simple formulas to find the best mentor matches for the mentees. We still left it up to the mentee to make their own choice about what skills and person(s) they would like to match with.”
Gossett recently received her first mentee. So, she was in a good position to give the most recent update on how the program works. She says, “All of our bios are listed on the INTIX mentor page, and potential mentees can shop around to find a good fit. Once notified that we have found a mentee, we start to reach out and plan dates/times to start the official conversation. From there, who knows what we can accomplish?”
Hawk notes that the Mentor Committee “really tries to make sure the mentee is in the driver's seat for the pairing process.” To this end, Pickering adds, “As a mentee, you can actually request to work with a specific mentor who fits your goals. Plus, since it’s set up quarterly, you can indeed switch mentors every few months if you want a fresh perspective or need advice in a new area. It’s all about making sure the connection works for you.”
Current Co-Chair Secunda concludes, “Once the mentee signs up via the Mentor Program portal on the INTIX website, they have access to the mentor list for whatever term they signed up for and can pick based on the best criteria matches listed in the mentor’s profile. Once the selection is confirmed, the mentor is notified via email with the mentee’s contact info alerting them of the match. I believe this process will soon be made even easier by virtue of new protocols that will soon be in place with the new INTIX CRM and website rollout.”
You May Also Like
Want news like this delivered to your inbox weekly? Subscribe to the Access Weekly newsletter, your ticket to industry excellence.