GMS is a structured, high-impact mentorship program originally developed at MIT and adapted for the KC region. It connects growth-stage companies with teams of experienced entrepreneurs and executives who offer strategic guidance through monthly, in-person meetings. GMS now also connects early-stage software technology companies with mentorship teams. The program’s overall goal is to help founders scale their businesses, create jobs, and contribute to the local economy.

Enterprise Center in Johnson County’s (ECJC’s) business mentorship offering began as a one-on-one program in 2015. GMS aligned with MIT’s Venture Mentoring Service in 2016 and adopted the team mentorship approach and structured the program to help Kansas City’s growing companies. Over the years, GMS parameters further evolved to include guidelines such as a venture sales minimum, staff growth plans, and set program length.

Selected founders are matched with a team of seasoned executives, business leaders, and entrepreneurs who provide candid, practical guidance. The program is about building smart, sustainable growth...not quick fixes!

GMS-Tech is a new track of the Growth Mentoring Service. This shorter, software focused sprint version of GMS mentorship is designed to support high-potential software technology entrepreneurs in the Kansas City region who are ready to scale.

Just as with the original program, GMS-Tech selects founders to potentially match with a team of seasoned executives, business leaders, and entrepreneurs who provide candid, practical guidance. Inspired by the MIT Venture Mentoring Service, the program is about building smart, sustainable growth, not quick fixes.

GMS works to create rewarding connections, learning opportunities, and networking experiences for our volunteer mentors. We then leverage our GMS Mentors’ time and talents to guide growing companies through the challenges of intentional growth. We’ve succeeded when GMS Founders build the ability and habit of asking strategic questions of themselves even after the GMS engagement has concluded. Those Founders go on to make more sales, create new jobs, earn more capital, and drive the success of Kansas City’s economy.

• Prospective Founder applies, and GMS staff reaches out to set up an interview.
• If you’re a fit for our program, you’ll be asked to present at one of our Monthly All Mentor Meetings.
• After the presentation’s Q&A period, Mentors who are interested volunteer to be on your company’s mentorship team.
• If there are enough Mentors to volunteer for your team, you will receive an email from the GMS staff with details about who is on your team and the process of getting your first team meeting scheduled.
• Ideally a good mentorship team would include a diverse group of mentors with relevant subject matter knowledge, industry expertise, and entrepreneurial perspectives. We also look for professionals who would click with your team’s vibe!
• Monthly Sessions: Once a team is finalized and launched, each hour and a half long Monthly Mentor Meeting takes place in-person at ECJC’s office located at 6405 Metcalf Avenue, Suite #318, Overland Park, KS 66202. Founder(s) meet with their Mentors once a month for a 14-month period (Original Growth) or 6-month period (GMS-Tech) with the option to renew if the team is rewarding and productive for all participants.
• Team-based mentorship model: Mentors use the Socratic approach – asking questions, challenging assumptions, and guiding founders to their own insights. Founders benefit from diverse perspectives and are not limited to a single advisor’s lens.

• Prospective Mentor applies, and GMS staff reaches out to set up an interview.
• If you’re a fit for our program, you’ll be asked to visit one of our Monthly All Mentor Meetings.
• This application, interview, visiting process can certainly also happen out of this order. The goal is to meet and welcome new Mentors in whatever order best serves these amazing volunteers!
• Prospective Founders present at our Monthly All Mentor Meetings. After the presentation’s Q&A period, Mentors who are interested volunteer to be on the company’s mentorship team.
• Ideally a good mentorship team would include a diverse group of mentors with relevant subject matter knowledge, industry expertise, and entrepreneurial perspectives. We also look for professionals who would click with the founding team’s vibe!
• Monthly Sessions: Once a team is finalized and launched, Monthly Mentor Meetings happen in-person, once a month (1.5hrs), at ECJC’s office located at 6405 Metcalf Avenue, Suite #318, Overland Park, KS 66262. Mentors meet with their Founder(s) once a month for 1.5hrs for a 14-month period (Original Growth) or 6-month period (GMS-Tech) with option to renew if it the team is rewarding and productive for all participants.
• Team-based mentorship model: Mentors use the Socratic approach – asking questions, challenging assumptions, and guiding founders to their own insights. Founders benefit from diverse perspectives and are not limited to a single advisor’s lens.

Founders: Complete the founder application at growthmentoringservice.com/founders. Applications are reviewed regularly, and a member of the GMS staff will reach out to schedule an interview.

Mentors: Submit your mentor application at growthmentoringservice.com/mentors.  Once completed, a member of the GMS staff will reach out to schedule an interview. Alternately, you may also proactively schedule your interview with the GMS Program Director here.

GMS’s Mentor Pool is comprised of volunteers with relevant business expertise who want to give back to the small business community. Our volunteers are all comfortable with the give and take of team environments. They are committed to curiosity and asking questions rather than giving directions. Many exited entrepreneurs, retired executives, and mid-career professionals meet these criteria!

All GMS applicants, regardless of potential track, need to meet the following, high-level criteria for program participation:

• You need to be a for-profit company.
• Your company needs to be located inside the Kansas City metropolitan statistical area.
• You need to work in your company full-time.
• You need to have significant plans to add staff and create new jobs.
• You (and any co-founders) must be coachable. Asking for help is only the first step. Coachability requires listening, thoughtful consideration, and action-orientation!
• You must be willing to make the time to prepare mentorship meeting agendas, to implement ideas from mentorship sessions, and to complete all requested surveys.

• $100,000 annual sales minimum
• Must provide last full year’s ending income statement and balance sheet at application
• Must provide ongoing quarterly income statements and balance sheets

• Software technology-based company
• Must provide completed Business Model Canvas at application
• Must provide 5-year P&L projection at application
• Must provide cash runway estimate at application
• Must commit to creating and providing ongoing monthly Key Performance Indicators, if accepted

PLUS meet a majority of the following:

• Have current, paying customers
• Raised funds beyond founder, friends, and family
• MVP complete
• Graduated from TechVenture or other formal training program for technology entrepreneurs
• Founders include women and/or people of color
• Company has protectable intellectual property
• Separate ownership entity and active website

No. We use the same Mentor Pool for both GMS Original Growth and GMS-Tech Ventures. Just as traditional companies can’t survive in today’s environment without technological awareness, young tech companies cannot survive without a blend of business and technology expertise. Our Mentor Pool provides experience that is helpful to both established businesses and technology companies.

Yes! We accept applications on a rolling basis all year round.

We typically select 12-24 companies annually. Our program is intentionally selective to ensure personalized, high-impact support. Selected participants pay no fees and receive more than $17,000 in tangible consulting value each year.

• GMS All Mentor Monthly Mentor meetings once a month (1.5hrs long). These are typically scheduled on the second Monday of the month from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Once selected for a team, the new group meets once a month (1.5hrs long) for 14 months (Original Growth Venture) or 6 months (GMS-Tech Venture) with options for renewing if a positive experience for all members.
• A mentor must join at least one mentorship team within the first six months of becoming a GMS Mentor, but many choose to be on multiple GMS teams!

Because trust is integral to the mentorship experience, the Growth Mentoring Service has very clear ethical guidelines. Founders will have a chance to review, sign, and uphold the following values:

• No Compensation: Founders acknowledge that mentors are 100% volunteers and agree not to hire or compensate them in any form.
• No Self-Interest: Do not ask mentors for direct funding, for funding introductions, or any specific introduction of any kind.

• Confidentiality and Trust: Founders commit to maintaining confidentiality, helping create a trusted environment where mentors can share openly and the mentoring relationship can thrive.

Reach out to Jenn Hackett, GMS and Operations Specialist, at jhackett@ecjc.com or 913-438-2282 to find out more.