Frequently Asked Questions
What's the aim of Let's Do Mentoring?
The aim of the scheme is to match business mentors with leaders of business looking to learn from the experience of others.
Is it for you?
- You will be a business leader and have identified particular issues that you need to tackle
- You will be interested in learning from the knowledge and years of experience, which our mentors have gained in their current or previous working environments
Who are the Mentors?
Our volunteer mentors are experienced entrepreneurs, perhaps partly or fully retired, or a member of a large company's middle or senior management. They sign up to the programme because they want to share their extensive knowledge and have a real philanthropic desire to give something back to the people and the area they live in.
What to expect?
Our volunteer mentors do not offer direct business advice; they should be viewed as a sounding board and business friend to help to generate problem solving ideas and encourage strategic thinking. From an objective viewpoint our mentors will offer choices as opposed to telling you what to do, and they will help to spot problems, not sort them; they will empathise and not judge. Registering as a client with Let's Do Mentoring could be one of the most valued relationships a business leader can make.
How it works?
Initially you will meet with one of our team to help us understand the make-up of your business and the issues you think a mentor can help with. If it is agreed, to move forward we will carefully match you with an appropriate mentor, this may take time depending on their availability.
Issues to tackle?
The list is endless, however working with a mentor can help identify areas for improvement. Mentors will help you to find your way through the areas concerned and not presenting a solution even from experiences. It may be matching a mentor who does not have direct experience of an issue but is good at defining problems and helping the client think laterally is the correct approach in some instances.
Issus that you may wish to discuss with a mentor may be:
- strategic planning:
o sales and marketing
o operational
o funding and finance
o leadership and management
- working with directors to:
o support loneliness
o increase confidence
o offer an experienced ear
o reduce the feeling of isolation
o attain feedback on their personal effectiveness
- wider / global business issues
- manage change
- improve management and other skills
- access new personal networks to
o create new customers / alliances
o learn from their experiences
o diversify revenue streams
o develop new ideas
- overcome barriers to growth
- link personal growth to business growth
- improvement of supply chains
- link into other forms of business support
How much time will it involve?
Because the mentors volunteer, the time they offer is completely up to them: it could be anything from answering a simple phone call to attending full management meetings. Clients truly appreciate whatever time you can spare; on average our mentors set aside a few hours per month.
How it works?
Initially you will meet with one of our team to help you to understand the mentoring role in more detail and, at the same time assist us to map your preferred areas of knowledge in supporting potential clients. It maybe; finance to marketing - exporting to managing staff - strategic direction to dealing with suppliers - stimulating innovation to reducing expenditure. Once part of our mentoring team, we will carefully match you with an appropriate client; this may take time depending on client suitability.
What's in it for the mentor?
Their altruistic intentions pay off, when our mentors get satisfaction from seeing positive change as a result of their advice, often generating substantial benefits savings for the company. They find the scheme challenging and hugely rewarding. They feel excited about giving something back to the local business community, particularly when clients report back and share with the mentors the successes achieved as a result of discussions they had about goals and objectives.
Is there extra support?
It is reassuring for our clients and mentors that Let's Do Mentoring is a scheme professionally run by the Business Broker Project with the added protection of confidentiality clauses. Both benefit from having access to the Business Broker team, who can signpost them to any other support agencies, who are available with help to tackle identified issues.
Next steps?
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please call the Business Broker team on 01782 213 929, or alternatively email David Wellings at davidwellings@nscci.co.uk or Andrea Pedersen at businessbrokers@nscci.co.uk.
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