When the Mentor Needs a Mentor: The Power of Being Poured Into
Even the strongest leaders need mentors—and the wisdom to know that growth never stops, it only deepens.
We often celebrate the mentor—the woman who guides, uplifts, and pours wisdom into others. But what we don’t talk about enough is this: even mentors need mentors. Even the strongest leaders need someone who truly sees them, supports them, and helps them rise to the next level.
Throughout my journey, I’ve been blessed with several mentors—not only women, but powerful individuals who showed up for me during different seasons of my life. And the truth is, my most supportive mentor wasn’t a woman at all. He was my former boss—a leader who became a personal friend and confidant. He saw my potential long before I fully stepped into it. He challenged me, guided me, and stood by me through reinvention, transition, and growth. His mentorship reminded me that support doesn’t always come from where you expect—but it always arrives when you’re ready to receive it.
A Sisterhood That Holds Me Up
Alongside my mentors, I am surrounded by a personal sisterhood of successful, powerful women—leaders, founders, and visionaries—each with her own brilliance. These are women I can reach out to based on the level and type of support I need.
Some offer strategic insight.
Some provide emotional grounding.
Some offer spiritual alignment.
And some simply remind me to breathe, rest, and rise again.
This sisterhood is a lifeline. It’s a reminder that leadership is not meant to be carried alone. It’s a testament to the power of women supporting women—not in competition, but in community.
Leadership Doesn’t Cancel the Need for Guidance
There’s a misconception that once you reach a certain level of success, you no longer need direction. But the higher you rise, the more essential mentorship becomes. New levels bring new decisions, responsibilities, and challenges—and no one is meant to navigate them alone.
As a founder, empowerment strategist, and woman who rebuilt her life after a 34-year career transition, I’ve learned that mentorship is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of wisdom. It reflects the understanding that growth doesn’t stop just because others now look to you for guidance.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
Mentors carry a lot. We hold space for others. We listen, guide, and uplift. But pouring into others without being poured into creates imbalance. It leads to burnout, stagnation, and disconnection from purpose.
My mentors—and my sisterhood—help keep me grounded. They sharpen my vision, challenge my thinking, and remind me that I don’t have to carry everything alone. They help me stay aligned with my mission as I continue building AKP Innovations, expanding my global voice, and raising daughters who watch every step I take.
Mentorship Is About Legacy, Not Hierarchy
True mentorship isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about exchange. It’s about wisdom flowing in both directions. It’s about community, connection, and collective elevation.
When mentors have mentors, the entire ecosystem becomes stronger. We model humility. We model growth. We model what it looks like to lead while still learning.
Reinvention Requires Support
My reinvention—from a 34-year career in finance to becoming an award-winning empowerment leader, author of Rise Into You: Reclaiming Power, Love, Life and Legacy, and a featured voice on Oprah’s podcast—didn’t happen in isolation. It happened because I allowed myself to be guided, challenged, and supported by people who saw the next version of me before I fully saw her myself.
Mentors help us step into the chapters we’re destined for. They help us stretch, evolve, and rise.
The Most Powerful Leaders Are Lifelong Students
If there’s one message I want women to take from this, it’s this:
You don’t outgrow mentorship. You grow because of it.
Whether you’re leading a business, a movement, a team, or a family, you deserve support. You deserve guidance. You deserve someone who pours into you with the same intention you pour into others.
Because when mentors have mentors—and when women have sisterhood—we don’t just lead.
We lead well.
We lead whole.
And we lead with the kind of wisdom that transforms lives, including our own.
