Holding the ladder: how my mentor created space for me to grow
Cat is an alumni mentor of the 14th Routes Mentoring Programme. She supported her mentee Oksana with her professional skills.
Oksana and Cat wrote a three-part blog series together, to reflect on the different components of their journey.
In this blog: how Cat and Oksana worked together, and both grew in professional confidence.
Cat: I joined Routes in 2025, the year after I had sold a business. My children were at university and I thought I might have advice to offer business owners. Meeting Oksana for the first time, I was excited and nervous. I knew she was Ukrainian and was intrigued by her experiences with running a small family business, but I didn’t know much else. It became immediately clear that Oksana and I had loads of energy, ideas, occupations and ambition - as well as both two children.
Oksana: I was told that my mentor, Cat, had built a successful business, was an expert in sustainability, and had been mentoring for some time. To me, she instantly became someone I admired greatly — someone on a high pedestal. I had the feeling that I wanted to be like her. But at the same time, I was afraid that I’d feel small, out of place — like I came from another world, a different class.
However, with each of our meetings, we got to know one another better. What I appreciated most was that there was no strict structure or protocol — just open, honest conversation. We shared our stories and feelings, talked about our husbands, children, and the challenges we’d faced in business and in life.
Sharing wins and difficulties: empowering each other
Oksana: My mentor came to a Public Speaking Event that I did, and shared some really positive feedback. When you realise that you’ve done something your mentor genuinely finds impressive — whether it’s speaking live on stage in a second language, or building a family business from scratch — you start to reclaim a part of yourself. You get your power back — the power you may have lost through forced migration, trauma, or starting over from zero.
“That’s what mentoring is about, especially women mentoring women. It’s about strength, support, and the courage to change not just your own life, but the world around you for the better.”
That’s what mentoring is about, especially women mentoring women. It’s about strength, support, and the courage to change not just your own life, but the world around you for the better.
Cat: As a mentor, I can share what has made me successful in business. That is quite straightforward, but it might not be the most relevant.
For me, it’s important to share weaknesses and difficulties too. This is also something we learn in Routes training. Everyone feels insecurity in their careers, regardless of your background. Flowing from the relationship we’ve built, Oksana has been genuinely supportive of me in the later stages of our mentoring, when I was speaking about challenges I was facing. She’s also shown me the importance of patience and how to respond to circumstances, which is something I am still reflecting on.
Oksana (left) and Cat (right) at the end of programme celebration event
Cat: It’s so nice to know our conversations have made such a big difference on Oksana’s confidence. They’ve also enhanced and enriched mine.
Oksana: Now, Cat has joined the group of people I’ve met in London, who have helped turn this city into something that feels a little more like home.
These blogs were written following the Routes’ Blog writing workshop, that takes place for mentors and mentees on the Routes Mentoring Programme. You can find the other pieces by Cat and Oksana in this three-part series here and here.
