Some leaders are loud. Others lead by showing up. Janet Navvuga Bugembe is a poised and determined leader, the type that does not make headlines but generates them. She is the creator of The Mentorship Class, the currently renowned six-month program developing a new kind of leader in Uganda that is values-based, rooted, and purpose-led. Beginning as a small class of girls studying Think and Grow Rich in 2017 it has blossomed into a leadership system that’s produced business entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and community activists.
“We began by gathering together every Monday,” Janet once said. “We’d read a chapter, had a guest, and discussed life purpose, finances, and relationships. Before long, it became obvious: this was no book club. This was a movement in the making.”
The Making of a Mentor
Janet’s journey did not begin in a boardroom. It began when she was in her twenties; that chaotic, defining decade we all endure. She run businesses, served on boards, and learned firsthand how mentorship can shape destiny. “Your twenties are not for irresponsible living,” she told The Mentorship Class Magazine. “That’s where your value system is being formed. The people you’re hanging out with, the books you’re reading, the choices you’re making that’s who you become.”
Mentorship is not a theory to her. It’s very personal. She remembers what it was like to chart a career with no how-to book in hand, to seek wisdom in a culture that celebrates shortcuts. And perhaps that’s the reason she’s so fired up about making space for others to learn on purpose, thoughtfully, and with passion.
Faith, Family and Purpose: Her Leadership Trifecta
If you were to ask Janet what motivates her she won’t discuss success. She’ll discuss significance and purpose. My heart’s desire,” she says, “is to live in a manner that my Creator will be pleased with me, to hear Him say, ‘Well done, my good servant.’
Her leadership philosophy is based on three things: purpose, family, and faith. When she started The Mentorship Class she was simply answering a call from a group of young ladies asking for a guide on life but with a combination of structure, vision and her keen attention to detail, she has built a system that will stand the test of time. She brought mentorship to life as a curriculum. From the early “dream chart” exercises to the current formal six-pillar structure: Self-Awareness, Personal Development, Career Growth, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Life Skills all of TMC is a testament to Janet’s belief that leadership starts from within.
Janet loves to quote Mother Teresa: “The good works we do are only a drop in the ocean, but without that drop, the ocean would not be as full.”.
That’s the way she sees her work. A single drop at a time. One mentee at a time. And together those drops create a well spring of innovation, inspiration and steadfast intention. The Mentorship Class has now mentored over 480 young professionals, inspired over 40 new businesses, and has placed more 120 alumni into leadership roles. Each cohort is a ripple, converting self-doubt into self-awareness, and ambition into purpose. Beyond just inspiring the young professionals they are the lifeblood of TMC; injecting their time and energy into making it the success it is. This is another sphere of TMC, while Janet mentors she believes that what is taught must be practiced, this is evidenced by the fact that the management team of TMC is completely made up of the young people who have passed through her gentle, guiding hands. “We can’t wait for ideal circumstances to get underway,” Janet reminds her listeners frequently. “We start where we are, with what we have.”
The Feminine Power of Leadership
There is a gentle revolution in Janet’s presentation on women in leadership. It is not about competition with men it is about showing up completely as yourself. With initiatives like Journey to the C-suite and Journey to the Boardroom, she has been equipping both men and women to lead with strength, compassion, and courage. When speaking to one group she reiterates the validity of women’s place in the boardroom, “You should never apologize for being a woman.” she says, “The boardroom is enriched by your intuition, your empathy, your strength. Don’t shrink, stand up, and speak in full colour.”.
It’s that energy that is commanding and compassionate that makes Janet compelling. She is the personification of the very leadership she coaches: values-driven, emotionally intelligent, and human to the core.
Building of a Legacy
Janet doesn’t judge success in titles, numbers, and awards. She measures it by transformation; the mentees who came to TMC with insecurity and left as team leaders, the young woman who once spoke up in hushed tones now CEO of her own startup. The returnees: not merely to give testimonials, but to guide the next set. That’s her legacy: not a building, but a growth culture.
“Leadership,” she says, “isn’t about control, it’s about influence. You start with yourself, then you pour into others.”
When you watch Janet speak in an interview, a graduation ceremony, or simply a run-of-the-mill Monday session there’s something homespun about her. She does not preach. She reminds. She shocks. She notices people where they are and opens their eyes to where they may be.
Her story isn’t one of yelling, but it’s lasting. It’s a lesson that sometimes purpose might not show up in lightning, but it shows up in small, consistent steps that rebuild everything.
And maybe that’s the takeaway that she has been imparting all along: Change doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one Monday at a time.