Testimonials

Proteges and mentors from previous years of the Raj Manek Mentorship Program, as well as other media sources share their experiences, opinions and the relationships they have built through the program, via video footage and spoken word.

Karl Miller Meridian Development

The Raj Manek program is amazing and brings a lot of value to so many.

Protege Testimonials

Norm Altrogge Sawyer’s TreeKeepers

A Good Program. One of the few formalized venues for Baby Boomers to pass on their vast amounts of "aggregate corporate knowledge"

Rauncie Kinnaird Sandy Shores Resort

"Mentorship is very valuable when starting or growing a business. The support and knowledge of experienced business owners can be crucial to your success. The Raj Manek Program is an excellent resource for mentorship in both SK and AB. Networking and information sessions and online material are very well done."

Jason Tratch Proteus Waters

"The value, the structure, the quality of the people!"

Robert Grain Parkand Carpet One Floor & Home

"What a great organization to facilitate the matching of businesspeople for growth of self and business."

Elaine Mantyka Praxis School of Entrepreneurship

"The Raj Manek program provides amazing support linking entrepreneurs to other more experienced entrepreneurs. They also provide pertinent and relatable guest speakers. Highly recommend."

Trevor Donald Donald Physiotherapy

"Excellent, professional mentorship program. Very highly recommended!"

Mark Pickard InfraReady Products

"Mentorship is a powerful tool. The program is designed for optimum success."

Conrad Correa Magnus Construction Services

"Great mentorship program. Amazing mentors. "

Paul Martin Martin Charlton Communications, Regina

"Awesome program designed to pass wisdom from one generation to another through the power of mentoring. Great connections now in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Regina and Humboldt! "

Brenda Belcheff Natural Plantations

"This is one of the best business programs I have ever seen in my 25+ years in the business industry. If you are starting a business, looking for successful strategies on how you to make your business successful, there is no other program like this in helping your journey. As a protégé, they try to pair you up with someone in your industry who can mentor you, answer your questions and guide you to success. You learn helpful strategies from experienced, successful entrepreneurs that you cannot learn from a textbook or classroom environment. As a Mentor, you can pay-it-forward and have the exciting experience of sharing successful strategies with the people you mentor and know that you have made a very positive difference in many lives and help others not make some major mistakes that you may have made when building your business. It's a very rewarding experience for everyone as you surround yourself with like-minded, passionate people as well as a very positive atmosphere. Everyone has a similar goal, which is either to be successful or to see others succeed and help one another."

Lestor Lafond Lafond Financial Corp.

"They have contributed greatly to community of Saskatchewan and to the city of Saskatoon. The Mentorship program, they have been delivering for over 20 years, has been a great success."

Catherine Higginbotham Saskatchcushion

“Chris is such a great mentor, she’s fantastic!! I can’t believe how well we are matched - even down to her having ties to England!”

Greg Yuel, COO PIC Investment Group

“Thank you for your continued efforts with the mentorship program. It is one of the most unique and successful programs of its type. I have certainly enjoyed being part of the Mentorship Program and can credit the program with changing our operation.

The timing of my participation in the Raj Manek Mentorship Program came during [the] restructuring of our property management business. The effect of the program on the business plan has been huge. I really like the business we created, as a result of the interaction the program fostered.

The relationship that the Raj Manek Mentorship Program brokered for me did not end up following the model outlined by the program. I consider the flexibility a tremendous asset that the program should take pride in. The result has been a supportive interaction between mentor and protégé on a needs-basis, and one that has extended beyond the program model.”

Jay Stark Sutton Financial Group

“The Raj Manek Mentorship Program has connected me with a mentor who is willing to share his experiences to help me put my ideas into action and who is clearly eager to help me develop to my full potential.”

Brent Banda The Entrepreneurs’ Marketing Source, Inc.

“I found the Raj Manek Mentorship Program educational on several levels. Obviously, the protégé benefits from learning about other people’s business experiences. However, I’ve built some strong friendships with several mentors and protégés. Several of these people have served as informal mentors as well.”

Jonathan Hunt, President FundNET Systems, Inc.

“The Manek Mentorship Program is an exceptional opportunity for younger leaders and business people to grow their skills, with the help of their community’s best minds.”

Daniel Weber Interactive Tracking Systems, Inc.

“Sound business advice is vital to the survival of small and emerging businesses in Saskatchewan. The Raj Manek Mentorship Program has supplied that and more. The talent pool of mentors that the program has been able to attract is a testament to [the] dedication this class act organization has, towards small business in Saskatchewan. If you are an entrepreneur in need of assistance or someone who feels they could contribute by becoming a mentor, please consider this program. I am certain both parties will benefit from the win-win relationships that are being built.”

Mentor Testimonials

Debby Criddle, CMA, President & CEO Nightingale Nursing Group, Inc.

“Thank you for the opportunity to be involved in the Raj Manek Mentorship Program. While I certainly enjoyed working with my protégé over the last year, I also discovered the benefits in the process for me and for my company.

It’s energizing to work with someone young, who has energy and excitement and new ideas. As well, I discovered that the whole process made me look at my own business with new eyes, especially the marketing side. I re-examined some old stand bys and decided they needed to be changed or updated. Fresh insight helped me to improve several areas in my own office.

The old adage about receiving more than you give certainly held true for me and I’d be happy to continue as a mentor in your program. The return on time invested is definitely positive!”

John Cross, President/CEO Philom Bios Inc.

“Eleanor Roosevelt observed: ‘Learn from the mistakes of others; you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself.’ The Raj Manek Mentorship Program has to be the most effective vehicle to transfer practical business knowledge to the aspiring entrepreneur—it’s a two-way learning experience with immense rewards for both sides.”

Ken Achs, President/CEO Mid-West Group of Companies

“I am very impressed with the efforts and professional way the Raj Manek Mentorship Program is run. This program benefits both parties more than I could have imagined! I feel good about being part of this project, and at my age, 60, feeling good is reserved for only a few special things in life. This program is one of those special things.”

Bob Pitzel, President Graphic-Ad, Humboldt

“Belonging to the Raj Manek Mentorship program has been a very rewarding experience. This program has supplied the opportunity for both mentors and protégés to share experience, ideas, and enthusiasm with each other, as well as with other members of the group. Additionally, the program has provided presenters of a broad range of valuable business related seminars to which protégés and mentors would not normally have access. The value received through the exchange of ideas fostered by the Raj Manek Mentorship Program has far outweighed the small amount of time required to be involved.”

Success Stories

Greg Yuel, (President & CEO) PIC Investment Group Inc, sits down to discuss his protégé experience with mentor Ken Achs, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mid-West Group of Companies, through the Raj Manek Mentorship Program.

Vaughn Wyant (President and CEO of Vaughn Wyant Auto Group) with the Farm and Garden Center (FGC) discuss how they were introduced to the Mentorship Program and the benefits they received from it.