Slice of life story - Living our values through mentoring by Margot Van Kildonck
13 May 2025At TriFinance, mentoring is more than just a professional tool; it’s an integral part of our culture that fosters growth, trust, and collaboration. Our mentoring approach aligns with our core values, ensuring that both mentors and mentees learn and develop together. Following our conversation with mentor Niels Bormans, we now shift perspectives to the mentee experience, featuring Margot Van Kildonck.
A journey of discovery
When Margot joined TriFinance 1.5 years ago as a Project Consultant, she began a journey of discovery, exploring different areas within finance while growing both professionally and personally. As she started in our Young Hub Program, she immediately experienced the power of a strong network. “Starting alongside a group of young professionals gave me a sense of security,” she shares.
Margot’s projects ranged from finance transformation to SOX-legislation, and risk compliance, each bringing new challenges and learning opportunities. Over time, her perspective on mentoring evolved: “At first, I saw mentoring as a way to get technical answers. Now, I understand it’s much broader. It’s about personal development, handling challenges, and growing into your role.”
Mentoring is more than just a learning experience. It's a transformative journey that shapes both personal and professional growth.
The impact of mentoring
For Margot, mentoring at TriFinance meant more than just having someone to ask questions. It provided a space for reflection, support, and personal growth.
One of her key learning moments came during a SOX compliance project where she faced resistance from stakeholders who viewed the process as an extra burden. “My mentor encouraged me to reflect on past experiences, helping me apply lessons learned from previous projects to navigate resistance and build trust.”
One of the most valuable aspects was the encouragement to think for myself. Instead of simply giving me answers, my mentors guided me to find solutions on my own.
Trust played a crucial role in her mentoring experience. “Being able to express doubts, ask for advice, and receive honest feedback made all the difference,” she says. “It’s about having someone who listens, challenges you, and helps you grow.”
Mentoring in different pragmatic forms
Throughout her career at TriFinance, Margot experienced different forms of mentoring. In some projects, her mentor was closely involved in the same assignment, while in others, they were more of an external sounding board.
“When a mentor is part of the project, they see your progress firsthand and can guide you in detail. But having an external mentor also helps. They bring a fresh, objective perspective on your project & your growth.”
Mentoring is not a passive experience. You need to actively shape it to your needs.
She also realized that mentoring is not a passive experience. “It’s not just something that happens to you. You need to actively shape it by how often you meet, what topics to discuss, and how much guidance you need.”
Lessons for the future
Margot’s journey as a mentee has inspired her to give back in the future. “I’ve seen how valuable it is to have someone challenge and support you, and help you grow. One day, I’d love to do the same for others, it truly gives me energy.”
Her experience highlights that mentoring at TriFinance is more than just transferring knowledge: it’s about fostering a culture where people develop, reflect, and support one another.
Conclusion: Mentoring and the TriFinance values
Margot’s story embodies the essence of mentoring at TriFinance, rooted in trust, openness, responsibility, and reciprocity. By embracing intrinsic motivation and personal leadership, she has grown into a confident professional, ready to support others on their own journeys.
At TriFinance, mentoring is a two-way process where both mentors and mentees evolve together, shaping a culture of continuous growth.
In the coming months, we will share slice-of-life stories from mentors and mentees at TriFinance that connect our values to their mentoring relations and experiences. You'll get a glimpse of the difference between 'mentoring' and 'mentoring at TriFinance': where growth has no limits, and success is shared.