Image provided by Therapy for Designers
I have been fortunate to work with a number of extremely talented and generous mentors over the years (even if we didn’t define the relationship in those terms). Breaking into the workforce in Tasmania is particularly difficult. For photography as a teenager, even more so. As a determined gal, I sought out folk with wisdom to share and continue to do so to this day. I’ve had the pleasure of being mentored by a plethora of lovely people who were so generous with their time, knowledge and contacts that helped me both improve my craft, and break into the creative industry.
2023 was the rockiest year for my creative career to date. I fumbled my way into full-time freelancing through an unexpected layoff. As I had done previously, I knew it was time to learn from other people. I sought out contacts from uni, past workplaces, and acquaintances who were already successful in their freelancing and business owning journey. Their stories and tips gave me hope, along with actionable steps. A lifeline in a trying time.
Attending the Melbourne-based event ‘Therapy for Designers’ was when I saw how my knowledge and experiences could help others. Armed with my share of stories and experiences across multiple years and industries, I felt like I could finally start giving back to an industry that had taught me so much.
I started offering portfolio reviews to people I met at creative events, and then discovered ADPList, a platform where creatives can volunteer their time as a mentor. I first joined to book in time with other creatives from outside Asutralia, before joining as a mentor myself.
The decision to start mentoring did come predominantly from a desire to give back to the creative community, but it wasn’t entirely selfless. From speaking with others more knowledgeable in the freelancing game, I knew freelancing could be lonely, and your network was your most important asset. Mentoring offered the benefits of staying more engaged in the design community; remaining informed with industry news and trends, and exposure to different views, perspectives and projects that could help me improve my own work practices. More importantly, it would help increase my own network both in Australia and internationally. As a win-win I now have an ever-growing rolodex of people in my back pocket to pass jobs and referrals to (and vice-versa!).
Mentoring feels like a UX exercise. If you bring empathy, curiosity and excitement both of you come away feeling great and empowered. To make the most out of mentoring others, keeping these points in mind helps everyone get the most out of a session:
Through jumping on a call I’m on a mission to learn as much about my mentees as they want to know about me. This always helps my mentees feel more at ease, as they can tell I have a genuine interest in them, because I do! This allows them to open up in ways they weren’t expecting so the help can be much more targeted.
Whilst a cliche, it’s an important one. Meetings where it feels like the other person just wants to talk at you the whole time or are overly rigid in structure are never fun. Listening allows you to tailor the sessions and questions to best suit what your mentee wants to achieve.
Strategic questions are a powerful tool in design, period! I had a mentee who wanted help deciding on whether to pursue freelancing or find a new full time job, from narrowing down what she most wanted from her work; stability, work-life balance, and mentorship opportunities. We determined that freelancing may not be the best fit for her right now, helping her focus on what she needed in the short term to help her longer term goals. Helping people consider new paths, and look at things in news ways is one of the most rewarding parts of both mentoring, and design!
Many of my mentees have appreciated my openness and candidness. I tell my mentees that I’m an open book, and try to answer their questions to the best of my abilities, whilst remaining optimistic and tailoring the advice as best as I can to them.
Most mentees just want reassurance, and actionable steps. Giving incorrect advice can have negative repercussions. If I’m not confident in a specific topic or something geographically specific, I acknowledge I may not be the best person to ask that particular question. Although if possible, I do try to steer them in the right direction. Admitting when you don’t have the answers can be just as valuable as sharing the “correct” ones.
Mentoring sessions can be jam packed with information and be overwhelming. That is one of the reasons I treat my mentoring sessions as I would any other meeting. All my sessions are recorded using a notetaker. After the session ends, I send a message with a link to the recording, a list of things we talked about and/or actionable steps, a copy of my mentee pack (a Figma file packed with inspiration and resources), and lett them know they are welcome to book in another session. This process allows me to help others in the most effective way, and get compliments to boot!
There are thousands of mentors on ADPList and many other options when seeking mentorship. I am incredibly appreciative when someone decides they want to book a session with me. It can be very humbling (and extremely flattering) when people compliment my work and mention how much I have helped them in our sessions. Reaching out for help can be scary, and I always want to reassure them that I get a kick out of our sessions as much as they do.
Every few months I have a look at ADPList and other platforms where people are doing amazing things that I want to know more about. This is always such a positive experience! Staying embedded in creative communities is good for the soul. As a freelancer it is also very handy to have a bunch of people I can rely on for friendship, honest feedback, and contacts.
This week I ended my call with my mentee, Debbie. A pop up appeared informing me I’ve just finished my 50th mentoring session since joining. I can’t help but feel giddy, as prioritising mentoring in my creative practice is one of the best things I ever did and will continue to do. If you’d like to have your own session with me, you can through my ADPList profile.
Book a mentoring sessionI’d like to personally thank my many mentors and creative confidants in no particular order — Scott Cunningham, Scott Gelston, Chris Cabalzer, Miranda Maturana, Gemma F., Rebecca Hranilovic, Samantha Ireland, Jasmine Parasram, Adam Stone, Andrea Pufleau, Benjamin Thomson, and so many more. You’re all excellent, and I adore you!
Crafted by yours truly, Shannon Towell 😎
