The mentorship gap is real
Not everyone gets a mentor at work
This is our Story
Some employees get guidance, direction, and visibility. Others are left to figure things out on their own.
And over time, that gap shows.
Not because companies don’t care.
But because mentoring doesn’t scale.
I’m Caoimhe Duggan, founder of Ten Mentors.
I saw this first hand as a company I was helping to expand, grew.
A quiet divide started to form.
Some teams were supported and developed. Others were simply expected to figure things out as they went along.
The gap wasn’t intentional — but it was real.
Then one comment brought it into the open:
“The Sales teams get plenty of direction… but most support staff are left to figure it out alone.”
And once you see that, you can’t unsee it.
This happens in every workplace.
Guidance flows toward the obvious roles.
While others like the admin, assistants, apprentices, shop floor teams are left without a clear place to start.
Not because they matter less.
But because there’s no system for them.
That’s why I built the Ten Mentors Box.
A simple starting point for every employee.
No complex programmes.
No dependency on having the right manager.
Just a clear way to help build direction, confidence, and momentum from day one.
Because growth shouldn’t depend on who you happen to sit next to.
Our mission is to close the mentoring gap — so no one is left to figure things out alone.
Why a box?.
Mentors matter.
The evidence is clear. Guidance helps people grow, build confidence, and perform better at work.
The problem is that one-to-one mentoring is hard to scale.
Many employees never get that support, especially early on when it could make the biggest difference.
So we built a practical place to start.
The Ten Mentors Box gives people tools, structure, and direction they can use straight away.
The box before the mentor.
A simple first step in the mentoring journey.
Because support should start before someone gets lucky enough to find a mentor.
Key Stats
of people think mentors are improtant, but only 27% have one
(fORBES 2019)
oF EXECUTIVES SAY MENTORS PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS
(Forbes 2019)
employees with mentors are twice as likely to be engaged with the business as those who are not
(Galllup 2023)
of people, said they rarely get a mentor at work. That’s not just lost potential — it’s lost growth for entire economies.
What We’re Building –
Guidance for Everyone. Not just the few.
Mentorship shouldn’t depend on role, visibility, or luck. But in most companies, it still does. The Ten Mentors Box is a simple starting point.
A way for any employee to build direction, confidence, and momentum, without needing a formal programme or the “right” manager. It doesn’t replace mentoring. It gives people somewhere to begin.
So progress becomes something consistent — not something reserved for a few.
For businesses, the impact is clear:
Better supported people
More confident teams
Stronger performance over time
Why It Matters
When guidance is uneven, potential doesn’t disappear — it just never gets the chance to show up.
People hesitate.
They second guess.
They stay smaller than they need to be.
Not because they lack ability. But because they lack a clear place to begin.
When that changes, everything changes:
- Confidence builds — quietly at first.
- People start taking ownership.
- They speak up.
- They step forward.
- And teams don’t just perform better — they feel different.
And one moment matters more than most:
the start.
Skip the mugs and socks.
Give people something that actually helps them move forward.
The Ten Mentors Box isn’t just a welcome.
It’s a signal.
We believe in your growth from day one.
Because guidance shouldn’t be a luxury.
It should be part of how people begin.
“
“Mentorship isn’t a luxury. It’s essential.
If it were someone you care about, you wouldn’t want them to figure it out alone.”
Caoimhe Duggan (Keva)
Founder
Order for your Team.
Bring the Ten Mentors Box into your onboarding, gifting and career programs