Empowering Mentors to Support Women Entrepreneurs and Strengthen the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
In our decade of experience supporting entrepreneurs, we’ve seen that entrepreneurs grow best with the right mentors by their side. Yet, especially women entrepreneurs often struggle to find locally based and high-quality mentors. It’s even more challenging outside of Phnom Penh, particularly in emerging entrepreneurship ecosystems like Siem Reap and Battambang.
In short: there is a pressing demand for a supportive ecosystem of individuals who can connect, build capacity, support, and champion these entrepreneurs.
- Kuntheavotey Mech
Our Entrepreneurship Support and Incubation Manager, Lyhour, has faced exactly this challenge on his entrepreneurial journey!
“Over the last seven years, I failed at 3–4 personal projects and 4 different small businesses I started from scratch. I remember feeling so lost, not knowing who to talk to, who’d listen, or who could guide me. I felt so alone that I eventually stopped asking for help altogether,” reflected Lyhour.
Do you know what he wished for back then? A mentor—someone he felt comfortable sharing his struggles with, someone who asked tough but caring questions to challenge him and support him.
Seven years later, an opportunity arose, allowing him to create the support system he once longed for. This past year, he took the lead in the Inclusive Mentorship Network for Entrepreneurs (IMNEt) program, working to equip mentors—especially women mentors—with capacity building to provide hands-on support to local women entrepreneurs. The mission is to help mentors discover their own mentoring style — say, a cheerleader, an educator, a connector, or a coaching approach,… — that matches the needs of the entrepreneurs/mentees.
“For us, a good mentor is more than just a skilled businessperson. They are someone who cares and listens deeply and can understand the underlying needs of the entrepreneurs through a trusted relationship,” Lyhour shared. “With the IMNEt program, I saw exactly what I wished I had back then: a safe space to share openly, ask questions, and feel genuinely supported. Hearing our mentors and mentees share their stories of change, especially during our closing event, was so powerful. It’s all about listening, asking the right questions, and building real connections.”
So what is the special recipe of the IMNET program?
“The program’s strength lies in its integrated approach,” explained Khema, our Chief Innovation Officer. “We combined inclusive, gender-sensitive support, mentoring, and coaching skills within a single curriculum. This design equips mentors with a diverse toolkit, enabling them to tailor their approach to each mentee’s individual needs.”
Over the course of five months, we worked with 25 mentors in Battambang and Siem Reap through discussion, masterclasses, and practice. Some sessions helped strengthen their technical expertise in business, while other sessions on gender lens, mentoring styles, and coaching focused on strengthening mentor-mentee relationships and creating a culture of acceptance.
To Khema, “The training’s innovative approach breaks down traditional barriers and creates a safe space for open dialogue. This leads to more effective mentorship, as mentors are equipped to understand and support the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs,” she continued. Shares Lyhour, “This approach encourages mentors to truly see their mentees as individuals, free from preconceived expectations and assumptions.”
We then matched the mentors with mentees (local women entrepreneurs) to give them an opportunity to apply their learnings while they are still part of the program, with Impact Hub Phnom Penh’s and their peers’ support.
And what did the mentors and mentees think about the experience?
Mentees shared that with more confident and skilled mentors, they built their own confidence and skills. At the end of the program, 17 of 17 mentees agreed or strongly agreed that they significantly increased their confidence in managing and growing their businesses after working with their IMNEt mentor. 15 of 17 mentees felt more confident in communication and networking. All of the mentees agreed or strongly agreed that the mentorship helped them identify concrete areas for growth.
As for the mentors, they reported a significant growth in confidence in mentoring MSMEs, understanding of entrepreneurs’ needs, listening and question-asking skills, coaching skills, and much more.
“I’ve learned so much about myself through this journey, especially in understanding my role as a mentor. I’ve become better at listening and asking the right questions. What stands out the most is realizing the type of mentoring that truly resonates with me and the stage of business I’m most passionate about—whether it’s the startup stage, operations, or growth,” shared Uon Saly, a mentor from Siem Reap.
“The B. Jiva I know now, my six-month mentor, is so different from the B. Jiva I met long ago. I feel so much more comfortable talking with her now. She is genuinely listening and truly understands me,” said Chan Era, a woman entrepreneur from Battambang who joined IMNEt as a mentee.
We believe mentorship is a two-way journey: when mentors enhance both their personal and technical skills, their mentees thrive. We’re thrilled to now be connected with this unique network of skilled mentors in Battambang and Siem Reap.
This effort would not have been possible without the support of The Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments Initiative (3Ei) and The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF).
If you’d like to learn more about the IMNET program or connect with these mentors, contact us!
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