SMC x Mentoro

Overview:

SMC worked with Mentoro, a non-profit mentorship organization, to explore sustainable revenue opportunities that would support its long-term growth without changing its core mentorship model. This project was led by Senior Project Director Sabrina Chen, Project Directors Zeynep Ozgun and Madeline Lee, and Consultants Jacob Steadman, Brooklyn Hughes, Bilal Zeineddine, and Eileen Peng.

Problem:

Mentoro had built strong community trust and a valuable network of mentors, but much of that value remained concentrated within its existing programming. The organization wanted to understand how it could translate its expertise into a more sustainable source of income without increasing the burden on mentors or changing the nature of the experience it offered. Mentoro was also interested in extending its reach to students and early-career professionals seeking practical guidance as they navigated education and employment decisions.

Solution:

SMC conducted a strategic assessment of Mentoro’s existing strengths, including its established credibility, mentorship expertise, and ability to connect individuals with trusted professional guidance. This analysis was used to identify revenue opportunities that could complement Mentoro’s current model rather than compete with or reshape it. 

Building on this, the team developed a structured product strategy centred on scalable digital offerings that could extend Mentoro’s expertise beyond one-to-one interactions. Each concept was evaluated based on audience need, relevance to Mentoro’s mission, commercial potential, and feasibility of execution. SMC also designed a customer journey showing how prospective users could first engage with Mentoro, progress toward paid offerings, and remain connected through continued value over time. 

The final recommendations translated this strategy into a practical path forward, outlining how Mentoro could test demand and gradually develop a sustainable revenue model while preserving the trust and accessibility at the centre of its brand.

Impact:

Mentoro now had a clearer path for turning its existing expertise into a sustainable growth opportunity while remaining aligned with its mission. Instead of relying only on live mentorship programming, the organization now had a framework for extending the value of its knowledge to a larger audience. These recommendations helped Mentoro see how it could begin testing new offerings, learn from early demand, and gradually build a revenue model that supports the organization’s long-term future.

Brand Development