The Power of Mentorship

Take a look inside Patterson’s transformative program.

Brittany Sutton felt like she was in a bit of a slump. She had spent six years working in veterinary hospitals before transitioning into distribution, where she’s been with Patterson Companies for seven years. Although she’s held roles in territory support, inbound customer service, team lead, and training and quality coordinator with Patterson Veterinary, she wasn’t sure what next steps to take in her journey and wasn’t as tuned into her long-term goals as she wanted to be.

Until a mentorship opportunity changed that

Sutton was paired with Paul Engleson, senior manager, leadership development, as part of Patterson’s Mentor Program. She said Engleson helped her gain clarity, build confidence and take ownership of her growth.

“One of the most impactful lessons I learned was the importance of focusing on my circle of control,” Sutton said, “shifting my mindset from worrying about things outside my control to taking action where I could make a real difference. That shift changed the way I approached challenges, decisions and even my career path. It helped me become more intentional, proactive and confident in how I navigate obstacles and opportunities.”

Pay it forward

Patterson created its mentor program to encourage and support the development of emerging talent and emerging leaders across the company. The program consists of three elements. First is the mentor-mentee relationship.

“This is the most traditional part, sort of what you’d expect in a mentorship program,” Engleson said. The mentor has more experience and tends to be more senior in their role. Mentors are encouraged to show a willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise, inspire and model respected behavior, display active and reflective listening, and share stories of their experiences.

Meanwhile, the mentee is expected to come into the program with some very specific goals on how they want to grow as an animal health professional. Engleson noted there are several factors to what makes an ideal mentee:

• Understand and define what you need. Based on your goals, do you require long-term and formal guidance, or advice for a one-time need?
• Be committed and mind your mentor’s time. Go into the mentorship with a long-haul mentality and commit to putting in the work.
• Be open to feedback. Being a great mentee means being dedicated to learning and practicing new skills.
• Ask questions and don’t be afraid to disagree. You should be hungry to learn, improve, and grow.
• Be engaged and energizing. The best mentees are fun to work with. They come to work with enthusiasm, excitement, and eagerness to move projects forward.

The second part of the Patterson Mentor Program is a facilitated Mentor Circle. This allows participants to leverage a cohort model. With the help of a mentor facilitator, they will learn from some structured content and each other.

The third and final component is structured monthly content for the mentee to work through.

Patterson’s Mentor Program has garnered increased interest from both young professionals and veteran leaders each year. This year, the company has 74 mentees and 60 mentors among nine Mentor Circles.

Engleson said the success of the program is a representation of the importance of employee development within the organization. “One of the reasons it’s successful is that our mentors all share a belief that they’re giving back,” he said. “A lot of our mentors have been mentees, and they have a pay-it-forward mindset. Plus, the president of our veterinary business is a mentor and has been for years. Very senior leaders are a visible part of the experience.”

From mentee to mentor

Through the mentor program, Sutton said she was able to navigate some challenges she was dealing with at the time and set clear, smart goals. She learned how to advocate better for herself, tackle challenges with a growth mindset and stay focused on her circle of control, “which will forever be my hardest pill to swallow, but it changes how I approach things and the mindset I have,” she said.

Sutton also gained clarity, confidence and direction on where she wanted to go in her career. “The long-term conversations I had with Paul helped me see some of my own strengths and get a better idea of where I could grow within my current role, and then where I wanted to go from there to define my career path.”

After her first year in Patterson’s program, Sutton was recognized as high-potential talent and selected for the Emerging Leadership program, which was also led by Paul. “The mentor program didn’t just help me grow – it opened doors and completely changed how I saw my own potential.”

Over the years Sutton has stayed involved – as a circle facilitator, and now as part of the advisory board. “I’ve seen firsthand how powerful mentorship can be, and I want to help others find the same support, encouragement, and growth that made such a difference in my journey.”

And that’s the real power of this program, Sutton said – it doesn’t stop with one experience. Mentees come back as circle facilitators, and some even go on to become mentors. It creates a cycle of continuous learning, where each person’s growth fuels the next. “The program isn’t just about individual development – it’s about building a culture of support, leadership, and opportunity that keeps expanding.”

Sutton said her current goals are to continue growing as a leader and making a meaningful impact. Creating opportunities for development, enhancing collaboration, and improving processes are all things she is passionate about. “More than anything, I want to keep challenging myself, helping others grow and fostering a culture where people feel supported and empowered.”

Photo credits: istockphoto.com/RealPeopleGroup, istockphoto.com/FreshSplash