YOUR SOUNDING BOARD:
Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship between a less experienced person (mentee) and an established and experienced business professional (mentor), someone who has owned and run their own business. The mentor is the mentee’s sounding board, listening to and understanding the mentee and providing support, guidance and practical help.

ASKING QUESTIONS AND GETTING ANSWERS:
As a business owner, you are likely to get more advice than you ask for from family members, friends and people who have never run a business. While some of their advice may be sound, your mentor will help you sort out which you should follow, while advising you on more complicated business matters.

WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL:
A mentor is a business professional who will help you look at problems and situations from perspectives that you have probably not thought of. For example, you may have trouble looking at your business through the eyes of a customer, potential investor or government official.

HELPING YOU DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS SKILLS:
For example, if your employees are complaining they don’t understand project directions, your business mentor will help improve communications with your staff.

YOUR PROBLEM SOLVING TOOL:
Owning a business can be stressful and frustrating. As a business owner you will often need to talk seriously and vent with someone you trust. Business owners cannot talk about sensitive and difficult matters with their employees or customers without risking instability in the business. However, with a mentor the door is open to talk about all the problems and challenges and ‘let off steam’.

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE:
The mentor is an experienced business professional who shares their personal skills, knowledge and experience with a business owner to help them develop their business. and achieve success.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK:
Networking is a tool to put you in touch with contacts who will help you make your business more successful. The more networking you do, the more people you meet. Thanks to the mentor’s contacts, your search for valuable information and people becomes easier.

METHODS AND STRATEGIES:
Business mentors will prepare you with a library of methods and strategies you can use as a business owner, whether it’s dealing with difficult customers, finding more sales or handling financial problems.

GIVING YOU CONFIDENCE, HELPING YOU MAKE BETTER DECISIONS:
Good mentors will praise you when you have made good decisions. Praise enables you to build your confidence as a business owner. As your confidence builds, this will help you with your business decisions.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
The mentee and mentor work together to achieve agreed goals and objectives for the success of the mentee and their business.