Mentorship Is About Guidance, Sponsorship Is About Influence: Kellie Capote

Mentorship Is About Guidance, Sponsorship Is About Influence: Kellie Capote

Author: Marcylle Combs November 19, 2025 Duration: 40:25

Kellie Capote emphasizes the importance of having both a mentor and a sponsor in one's career. She explains the distinction between the two, highlighting that while mentors provide guidance, sponsors have the influence to promote and advocate for you within an organization. Kellie shares her personal experiences and stresses the need for individuals to advocate for themselves in their professional journeys.

Kellie resides in Austin, TX, where she is a proud wife and mother to two daughters.

She is the Chief Customer Officer at Bonterra, a social good software company supporting 15,000+ nonprofits and over half of Fortune 100 companies.  It has over 1000 employees.

Between deep funding cuts and record-high service demand, nonprofits are facing an existential challenge. Kellie can offer a rare POV on (female) executive leadership in one of the most at-risk industries and how to rethink customerrelationships when the stakes are survival.

Kellie also co-authored a book, Digital Customer Success: The Next Frontier on digital customer success, which Bonterra's Women in Tech Book Club read and discussed earlier this year.

Energetic and results-driven customer success and GTM executive with 20 years of experience fostering customer relationships and leading customer facing teams. Proventrack record of driving customer growth, retention and reference-ability through building trusted advisor relationships and driving measurable business outcomes for customers. Deeply passionate about customer success being the growth engine of your organization.

CURRENT PROJECTS TO PROMOTE:

1.      October 1st: Bonterra launched Que,the first fully agentic AI platform purpose-built for the social good sector, spanning the entire ecosystem of funders, nonprofits, and supporters. 

2.      September 8th: Bonterra released the Meetthe Moment: Navigating Funding Disruption report which reveals how federal budget shifts are straining organizations already stretched by rising community needs. The report is based on a survey of 2,608 nonprofit leaders and 107 funders. 


bonterratech.com Kellie’s Linkedin All social channels: @bonterratech          

 


Hosted by Marcylle Combs, 50% with Marcylle Combs is built on the belief that women's voices and leadership are essential to every conversation. This podcast moves beyond surface-level interviews to explore the full spectrum of a leader's life. In each episode, Marcylle sits down with a woman who is actively shaping her field and community, delving into the real texture of her journey. You'll hear about the pivotal moments that defined her path, the obstacles that reshaped her direction, and the hard-won insights gathered along the way. These are not just success stories; they are honest accounts of professional and personal evolution, offering tangible advice for anyone looking to lead. By focusing on this depth, the podcast creates a platform where the diverse and inspiring narratives of women from various backgrounds, industries, and sectors take center stage. Tuning into this podcast means gaining access to a repository of experience, a source of solidarity, and a clearer understanding of what it means to build a meaningful career and life. It’s where ambition meets reflection, and where listening feels like joining a candid, necessary dialogue about progress and purpose.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

50% with Marcylle Combs
Podcast Episodes
Navigating the Retirement Journey: Suzanne Campi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:32
Suzanne Campi emphasizes the importance of honoring one's past, finding purpose in retirement, and setting boundaries to avoid being overwhelmed by others' expectations. Suzanne also discusses the significance of health…
Building a Unique Massage Therapy Brand: Amber Briggle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:54
Amber Briggle shares her unexpected journey from a liberal arts college graduate to a successful massage therapist and business owner. She discusses the evolution of her business, Soma Massage Therapy, the challenges fac…
Triumph in the Trenches: Dr. Xenia Barnes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:10
Reverend Dr. Xenia Barnes shares her inspiring journey from being an educator to a social and behavioral scientist after facing a terminal illness. She discusses the importance of resilience, emotional intelligence, and…
From Trauma to Triumph: Rev. Cheryl Kincaid's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:59
Rev. Cheryl Kincaid shares her profound journey from a troubled childhood marked by abuse to becoming a Christian minister and author. She discusses her struggles with PTSD, the challenges of being a female pastor, and h…
Empowering the Blind: Angela Fowler's Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:04
Angela Fowler shares her journey as a blind entrepreneur, discussing the challenges she has faced and the unique business she has built around accessibility. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and implementin…
Crafting Your Own Definition of Success: Alex Snider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:06
Did you know that leaders who lead by example with integrity are 50% more likely to earn the trust and loyalty of their teams? Alex Snider, the Founder & Lead Scale Up Partner, has an impressive track record, including c…
Creating a Culture of Care in the Workplace: Jan Rock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:05
Jan, or as we call her Mama Jan, keeps the heart and soul ofMission Mobile Medical alive, happy and out of trouble (hence the nickname). After several years working as an executive Director of Training and HR executive f…
For the Cubs. A New Approach to Foster Support: Amy Vale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:15
Did you know? On any given day, there are nearly 424,000 children in foster care in the United States. Meet Amy Vale, founder of For the Cubs, who has dedicated her life to supporting kids in foster care. With her person…
Embracing Single Parenthood Through Adoption: Ayo Haynes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:38
In this conversation, Ayo Haynes shares her journey to motherhood as a single woman through adoption. She discusses the challenges and joys of becoming a mother later in life, the importance of open adoption, and how her…
Negotiation is About Collaboration: Carolyn Goerner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:49
Carolyn Goerner shares her journey from a small-town upbringing in California to becoming a respected academic in management and human resources. She discusses her teaching philosophy, emphasizing empathy-based negotiati…