Redefining mentor-protégé relationships

The SBA's mentor-protégé program is designed to help small businesses grow by partnering them with established companies. But too often, these relationships are transactional—boxes checked, paperwork filed, minimal real engagement.

At Agile Six, we believe mentor-protégé relationships should be genuinely transformational. Our partnership with theta., founded by Emmanuel (Mannie) Iroanya, demonstrates what's possible when both sides are truly invested.

A different approach

"From the start, we wanted this to be real," says Dan Levenson, President of Agile Six. "Not just joint proposals and subcontracts, but genuine knowledge sharing, capability building, and mutual growth."

Mannie agrees: "Agile Six didn't treat us as a junior partner. They invested in our success—sharing lessons learned, opening doors, helping us build the capabilities we needed to compete independently."

Building capacity, not dependency

The goal of a healthy mentor-protégé relationship is to help the protégé become a strong, independent company—not to create a permanent dependency. Agile Six has helped theta. develop its own delivery processes, hiring practices, and business development capabilities.

"We want theta. to be able to win work on their own," Dan explains. "Our success is measured by their growth, not by how much business flows through us."

Lessons for the industry

For companies considering mentor-protégé relationships, Dan and Mannie offer advice:

• Choose partners whose values align. The relationship works best when both companies genuinely want to see each other succeed.
• Invest time, not just contracts. Real mentorship requires regular engagement, honest feedback, and knowledge sharing.
• Focus on building independent capability. The goal is a strong partner, not a permanent subcontractor.

When done right, mentor-protégé relationships benefit everyone—the companies involved, the agencies they serve, and ultimately the citizens who depend on government services.