In my post-military career as a high school English teacher, I had a dream of building a literary publishing company, but I felt stuck and didn’t have the support or guidance to help me take the necessary steps. Having Ronald as my mentor has been an incredible blessing. As a celebrated senior leader and business advisor whose extensive experience and expertise earned him a role as Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development under the Clinton Administration, Ronald is not only uniquely qualified to advise entrepreneurs, but he is also incredibly attentive and supportive, offering insightful feedback and encouragement in support of my vision for my business and my career.
Entrepreneurship poses its own unique challenges, and developing a business model that allows me to prioritize social impact while remaining financially viable means that I need to develop an approach to literary publishing that sets me apart from existing publishers. While also juggling a full-time teaching job and my own literary writing career, it is easy to get discouraged and feel like starting a business is an unrealistic endeavor. However, during each meeting, Ronald takes the time to listen to my successes, challenges, and concerns, and he supports me in defining the next best steps for staying on course with the business.
One step at a time, keeping sight of each milestone along the way—this is how Ronald has taught me to embrace entrepreneurship and not give in to feelings of discouragement. Ronald’s compassion and conscientious support have inspired me to mentor others with the same level of expertise and care as a literary publisher. Thank you Ronald, and thank you Eugene at ACP for helping me step into a new career and build my business with a sense of clarity and purpose!
– Abena N., US Army Veteran
I am honored to nominate Denise Graziano for Mentor of the Month with American Corporate Partners. Denise played a pivotal role in my transition from the U.S. Navy to corporate America. From the beginning, she provided invaluable guidance as I navigated unfamiliar territory and worked to identify how my strengths and experience could best align with new career opportunities. Her ability to ask the right questions and challenge me to reflect on my motivations helped me gain clarity and focus during my job search.
Thanks to her mentorship, I was able to secure a position as a business development lead at a defense tech startup—despite having no prior sales experience. Denise not only helped me prepare for the role, but she has continued to be a trusted resource and advisor. She offers practical strategies, shares relevant articles and tools, and regularly checks in to hold me accountable and support my growth.
What sets Denise apart is not just her extensive business knowledge, but her unique ability to communicate complex concepts in a way that is clear, approachable, and actionable. As someone new to the corporate world, I’ve found this skill to be especially valuable. In short, she’s been able to train a knuckle-dragger Navy helicopter pilot. That’s a unique skill…
I’m incredibly grateful for Denise’s ongoing support. She’s a dedicated mentor, an insightful sounding board, and a true partner in my professional development. I’m so lucky to have her in my corner.
– Gabe K., US Navy Veteran
