Mentor Spaces Awarded Bronze Medal in the ‘Lean and Mean’ Category
(Denver, CO, DECEMBER 9, 2020) — Mentor Spaces, a virtual group mentorship platform that helps companies scale their diversity and inclusion efforts, today announced it has been named to Inc.’s inaugural Best in Business list in the Lean and Mean under $5 million category. Inc. created the Best in Business Awards to honor companies that have gone above and beyond to make a positive difference.
“It’s an honor to be named to Inc.’s inaugural Best in Business list,” said Chris Motley, founder and CEO of Mentor Spaces. “This recognition further validates our vision to make all workplaces diverse, equitable and inclusive through mentorship. I’m thrilled that Inc. has recognized the impact we are making to support both underrepresented talent and the organizations that are taking strides to improve diversity and inclusion.”
The list, which can be found in the Winter issue of Inc., on newsstands December 29, 2020, recognizes small- and medium-size privately held American businesses that have had a superlative impact on their communities, their industries, the environment, or society as a whole.
“It’s been an incredibly challenging year for companies. Across industries, businesses have had to make brutally tough decisions and face unprecedented uncertainty,” said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief, Inc. “That’s why we knew 2020 called for a new recognition program, something to complement our annual Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. For Best in Business, companies have prioritized tackling today’s problems to lead us to a better future, even if they’ve struggled to stay in the black.”
Instead of relying on quantitative criteria linked to sales or funding, Inc.’s editors reviewed the companies’ achievements over the past year and noted how they made a positive difference in the world. They then selected honorees in more than 30 different industries — health, software, retail, business services, and more — and in age and revenue-based categories. The applicant pool was very competitive, with more than 2,700 entries and an acceptance rate in the low single digits.
Launched earlier this year and funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the innovative Mentor Spaces platform connects Black and Latinx college students and early career professionals with mentors to maximize their career potential while simultaneously giving companies a more direct pathway to exceptional, diverse talent.
To learn more about Mentor Spaces and join the Mentor Spaces community, visit: https://www.mentorspaces.com/
ABOUT INC. MEDIA
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across various channels, including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the Inc. 5000 allows these founders a chance to engage with their peers’ in an exclusive community with the credibility to help drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
ABOUT MENTOR SPACES
Mentor Spaces, a Techstars portfolio company, is a virtual mentorship company for emerging Black and Latinx professionals that helps companies scale their diversity and inclusion efforts while advancing the careers of underrepresented minorities. The Mentor Spaces platform, which is currently used by more than 10,000 emerging Black and Latinx leaders, allows corporate mentors to communicate with prospective employees in career interest-based groups making it easier for companies to find, hire and retain diverse talent. Companies, from startups to Fortune 500s, use Mentor Spaces to build a diverse talent pipeline, improve retention and enhance corporate culture. Find great talent at mentorspaces.com.
