January is National Mentoring Month. We’re sharing stories to highlight the transformative power of the mentoring relationship for both mentees and mentors. Next up is mentee Fasiu Adenekan and his mentor Joseph Coliton.
When Fasiu Adenekan discovered StreetWise Partners he was no stranger to the business world. In his native Nigeria, he was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of an investment banking company, FBNQuest Capital. But when he came to the U.S. in 2019 and started his job search, he struggled. Fasiu submitted many applications for roles in finance and accounting. Nobody responded.
The tide turned when he teamed up with a mentor from StreetWise Partners. StreetWise Partners paired Fasiu with Joe Coliton, a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Joe helped Fasiu navigate his job search in the U.S. including how to create a winning resume, use digital tools like LinkedIn, align a cover letter with job descriptions, and prepare for interviews. The work paid off.
“It has been a massive growth from no response from recruiters to getting to the third/final round of interviews,” says Fasiu. While he went into the program hoping to learn, network, and better prepare for a career progression in Finance/Accounting, he came out of it with so much more.
“I’ve never worked with a mentor before,” says Fasiu. “I’ve worked with different bosses and leaders, but not someone who looks out for me in this way. The program exceeded my expectations because of Joe. He was available when needed, listened, appraised and appreciated ideas. He provides resources and shares his experience without barriers.”
The feelings are mutual. “Fasiu and I have built a relationship around trust and respect,” says Joe. “We both have busy schedules, but we connect multiple times a week through email, text, and phone calls. While I am proud of all Fasiu achieved in this cycle, I am most proud of the growth that has come as a result of his fortitude and drive.”
StreetWise Partners recently recognized Fasiu and Joseph as the DC Mentor/Mentee Pair of the Fall 2022 Cycle for working well together, committing to the program and to each other, and consistently going above and beyond program requirements.
Fasiu hopes to contribute to StreetWise Partners in the future. “When you take from the system, at a point in time, you should give back,” he says. “There are many people like me who need guidance to get a foot in the door and what StreetWise has done for me, I want to give in return. I want to pay it forward by mentoring, and one day, even donating.”
Interested in joining StreetWise Partners as a mentee or a mentor? Submit your name and email address below and we’ll get in touch.