{"id":3825,"date":"2025-06-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siteglobal.com\/where-are-the-planner-mentors\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T14:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T14:17:10","slug":"where-are-planner-mentors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siteglobal.com\/blog\/where-are-planner-mentors\/","title":{"rendered":"Where are the planner mentors?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a distinct need for more mentorship opportunities among the ranks of event planners. <\/h2>

According to data from MPI\u2019s first Meetings Outlook survey of 2025, planners were less likely than suppliers to have had a mentor (37% to 52%) or to have been a mentor (38% to 49%). Of event professionals who have never had a mentor, planners were more than three times as likely as suppliers to say they want one (22% vs. 7%). <\/h2>

Additional insights shed light on the state of mentorships for event professionals overall\u2014planners and suppliers.<\/p>

Of event pros who have not had a formal mentor, 15% want one. Meanwhile, only 6% of those who haven\u2019t acted as mentors would like to take that on. While not groundbreaking, this reinforces the fact that more event professionals want mentors than want to be mentors. <\/p>

Notably, the No. 1 reason for not stepping into the role of mentor is the oft-cited \u201cnot enough time,\u201d a challenge with which most professionals in the event industry regularly contend. While 38% of respondents reported issues with the required time investment, 29% cited uncertainty with how to find a suitable mentee. <\/p>

Similarly, on the flip side, the No. 1 reason event pros gave for not having a mentor was uncertainty in how best to find one, as noted by more than half of respondents. \u201cNot enough time\u201d followed but was significantly lower with just over one-quarter citing that difficulty. <\/p>

In search\u2026<\/strong><\/p>

Of survey respondents who have had mentors, most (79%) report having at least two mentors in their career. Meanwhile, industry mentors almost universally have had multiple mentees, with 94% of respondents who have acted as mentors saying they\u2019ve taken on the role of helping to guide multiple event professionals. <\/p>

On a recent episode of MPI\u2019s EVENTalks podcast, Deanna House\u2014a planner who has had numerous mentors and mentored multiple planners\u2014underscored the importance of reaching out directly to co-workers, if applicable, and colleagues from your professional association communities. After all, she explained, the best way to determine if someone is a good fit for you\u2014as either a mentor or a mentee\u2014is to engage with them and get to know not only their personality but also learn about their professional experience and gauge their availability. <\/p>

Whether you\u2019re interested in a formal, structured mentor relationship or just seeking career guidance, the conversation on episode 37 of EVENTalks with House and Kesha Moore\u2014a planner who wants a mentor but is unsure of how to arrange that\u2014offers a bevy of valuable advice. Download or stream MPI\u2019s EVENTalks podcast now (mpi.org\/eventalks) to hear about and learn from their experiences. <\/p><\/div>

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