In June of 1998, a group of women professionals from Vermont traveled to Karelia to conduct business and professional training to over 100 women in Karelia, many of whom are small business entrepreneurs. Topics included women in politics, small business development, leadership, career research and networking, building effective teams, marketing, and negotiation.

Many mentoring relationships were formed during this program. The Russian women enjoyed their stay in Vermont and gained a lot of insight into the lives of professional women in the U.S. The Russian women took back a lot of information and have implemented new ideas into their businesses. Many of the women are still in contact continuing their mentorship relationships.