Most college students and young professionals tend to feel uncertain and stressed when it comes to finding mentors to guide them through their chosen career path. They’re unsure of how to create connections with people within their industries of interest and often feel unprepared when entering the job market due to a lack of personalized mentorship.
This is the problem Henry Duah sought to resolve with his startup Nurture Mentorship. He is growing the company in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) Global program at the University of Utah.
During his studies, Duah observed how much of an issue a lack of mentorship was for students, and how it created a barrier for them once they attempted to enter the job market.
“Many capable students remain unemployed not because they lack skills, but because they lack networks and guidance,” Duah said.
Duah felt driven to start Nurture Mentorship to give all students access to mentorship, especially those who come from underprivileged backgrounds and might not know how to access these networks or feel confident in reaching out to potential mentors. He aims to demystify mentorship by empowering students to take initiative and equipping mentors with the tools to confidently support others.
Duah was born in Ghana, where his parents strongly believed in education and never limited what he could pursue. He studied business in high school, then went on to pursue an accounting degree at both the undergraduate and master of philosophy levels. During his undergraduate years, his peers introduced him to entrepreneurship and research. A colleague invited him to join a Hult Prize team in 2019, where they secured funding from the university. This experience became what sparked his path into entrepreneurship.
Nurture Mentorship focuses on bridging mentorship and employment gaps, particularly for students and early career professionals in Ghana. Their main offering is a structured mentorship fellowship program, where participants are taught what mentorship truly is, how to find mentors, and how to build a personal “board of mentors.” Practical skills building such as resume preparation, interview training, networking strategies, and professional communication are also included. Once participants have completed the fellowship they’re paired with mentors, and Nurture Mentorship tracks their progress through continued engagement and alumni support. The program is currently offered online at an accessible price point to reach as many students as possible.
“The company is deeply rooted in personal experience,” Duah said. “I have lived the problem firsthand — as a student, a teaching assistant, and a professional — and understand the structural gaps that prevent capable individuals from advancing.”
Nurture Mentorship stands out amongst competitors by treating mentorship as a structured program rather than a casual introduction. Its fellowship creates clarity, boundaries, and intentionality for both mentors and mentees. Once the program ends, its support does not. Fellows become part of an alumni network where Nurture Mentorship monitors progress and provides continued guidance, ensuring long-term impact rather than a one-time intervention.
Duah’s company has already reached over 1,000 participants through online workshops. These sessions have all received strong engagement and positive feedback from participants, validating the need for structured mentorship education and reinforcing the potential for the company to scale.
Nurture Mentorships plans to expand the fellowship program, develop a mentorship platform, expand business into other African countries, and create pathways for fellows to become mentors themselves. Duah also plans to pursue virtual exchange opportunities that connect students in Africa with peers and mentors abroad, as well as develop physical products, like conversation and career preparation card decks, to ensure students have support transitioning from their academic lives into the professional world.
For Duah and the Nurture Mentorship team, mentorship is about more than connecting people to mentors. It’s about ensuring everyone has equal access to career opportunities and guidance, regardless of their upbringing. “I believe that with the right guidance anyone can create or nurture their own path to success, regardless of where they start,” he said.
Learn more about Nurture Mentorship at nurturementorship.com
