Rosalie Mandel, a partner with accounting firm Rothstein Kass, mentors lots of young women. She has honed her message about discerning the difference between a mentor and a sponsor to a standard line. And that’s just the line that reporter Julie Steinberg of FINS, the Wall St. Journal financial news channel, needed for a comprehensive story on how women can advance.

Here’s the story excerpt: Mentors are important for giving you guidance on your career. Sponsors are more critical because they’re the ones banging on the table to bring you on for a new job or assignment.

Accordingly, you must treat them differently. Rosalie Mandel, a principal at accounting firm Rothstein Kass, recommends telling your mentor the good, the bad and the ugly and telling your sponsor only the good.

“The sponsor has heavy political capital and can place you into your next slot,” she said. “The mentor needs to know everything about you so they can help you grow and guide you.”

Rosalie delivered a succinct sentence that clarified a confusing issue. I worked with her to identify this key message and ensure a smooth, compelling delivery. Rosalie’s advice works in real life, and that’s why it worked for the story.