Mentoring is the process of advising or training someone. It has become a key ingredient at many corporations around the world to guarantee that a talented employee will advance through the ranks. These programs tend to be very well organized and structured so that the company or organization will be able to measure the results.

Yet, mentoring has been around for generations and can be just as successful, particularly for women in business, without all the bureaucracy.

Think of all the times in your life you have had the opportunity of sharing your ideas and life story with another woman. It doesn't necessarily have to have been with a younger woman. These meetings are rarely described as mentoring moments, but in fact that is just what they are.

Women in business MUST take the time to make this opportunity happen more often. Every time we chat with another woman about our business and/or career we allow our experiences to be examples that she can learn from.

True mentors are people who allow us to see situations from a variety of perspectives. Many women have male mentors and report that their guidance has been crucial to their success in making new business connections leading to new business. Traditionally, men are seen as the networkers for developing connections to prospects. However, in 2013 with almost 50% of businesses being woman-owned, women are equally able to extend this opportunity -- the question is why aren't women doing it? Or, maybe better said, doing it more?

The answers I've heard range from - "I don't know her well enough or trust her with my connections" or "I've worked so hard in building strong relationships with my clients I'm afraid to ask them to meet with someone else."

Can you imagine a man making these statements? I can't.

What I've learned about men over the years is that they refer people easily and believe that the referral will then have to make a strong case for him or herself in order to build their own relationship with the prospect. Most men do not worry about whether or not their referral is the very best at what he or she does - they only know that if they can help two people meet and create more business it is a win all the way around.

Women in small business have a special opportunity to mentor other women. Their ranks have swelled and they should feel part of a rising tide. Yet, women in small business are often the ones who most often report feeling isolated. Isolation in business is a success killer.

A mentor is an active listener and cheerleader. It is difficult to feel alone when you have someone in your corner rooting for you to succeed. Another woman in small business is likely to have felt isolated at one time or understand why you feel it. Reach out and express yourself openly and honestly and get the help you need. Running a woman's small business is a career path that only another woman in small business can relate with. As your mentee she will be able to assist you in looking at your problems from a variety of angles since more than likely she has experienced the same issues.

Remember, those times in your life, whether in high school or college or even last week, when you just sat quietly chatting with a like-minded friend discussing the issues in your life? The process was informal and the conversation flowed easily and, most important, you had ahha moments that changed your perspective on your problems.

These our mentoring moments! There are few relationships that can be as powerful and influential as the mentor/mentee relationship. It can transform both individuals in ways that there are no words to describe.

Mentors are important because we all need to believe that we are worthy of another person's time and experience and we all need to be needed. Women mentors are the answer to the future generation of women because we are role models that allow girls to know that NOW anything is possible.