I have often found that mentoring happens when you least expect it. Yes, there are times in a person’s life where you would like a mentor to help guide you — when you start a new job or are working on a difficult project.

March is Women’s History Month. In honor of the celebration of women and their contribution to society, I’d like to acknowledge my mother as my first mentor. I never considered my mom as being technical, but when I think back to childhood, she was the one who had to figure out how the microwave, VCR, DVD player and other appliances worked. I remember watching her read an instruction manual and the next thing we knew is that we had a fully functioning VCR. I remember her excitement at Christmas when my father purchased a Panasonic camcorder for her so that she could record various sports and extracurricular events that my brother and I participated in.

Watching my mom take the time to figure something out is now an action that I see myself do on a daily basis. I like to figure out new technology and if I have to, I will read up on it if I cannot figure it out just by playing with it for a few minutes. My mom’s thirst for knowledge and ability to conquer technology lives on in me today. For that, she is my first mentor that I can remember.

There are so many fantastic women in the AV industry and many of them serve as mentors whether they realize it or not. Take a moment to thank one of your mentors!