I am often asked by business owners what I can do for them as a consultant owner and mentor. The service is wide-ranging and includes support, guidance, understanding, motivation and finding solutions to achieve business success.
Business owners are often lonely in their business, with no one to talk to about the business. They have to look ahead and plan future development, they have to review performance, both good and not so good; who can they talk to about key strategic and operational matters? They don’t have a business partner, there is no right-hand man or woman in the business, they don’t speak to their ‘other half’. Unfortunately, local bank managers no longer exist and the accountant is a number-cruncher, working on the annual audit, profit and loss and the balance sheet. For the many business owners in that situation, what do they do, where do they go, who can help them?
The answer to the above is ‘find a mentor’ – a trusted and professional adviser will be their sounding board and also their critical friend. More and more business owners are seeing and appreciating the value of working with business mentor who is key to their business. There is a lot of information and statistics which clearly show that by working with a mentor, businesses grow quicker and are more profitable.
Many of the enquiries I receive are a chorus of – ‘I need someone to talk to, I need accountability’ and ‘I need a sounding board’.
As a sounding board, a business mentor will – listen, understand, make positive suggestions, help avoid problems and help move the business forward. Mentors are trusted advisers with extensive and solid experience – most have managed their own business – ‘they have been here and done it’.
So, what are the benefits of working with a mentor?
You will have –
- A sounding board and critical friend
- Someone to talk to and who listens
- Someone who will challenge constructively
- A critical friend who asks ‘why are you doing that?’
- A critical friend who says ‘what a great idea!’
- Someone with extensive business experience
- Someone with a wide range of established business contacts
- Someone who will guide you on the route to success for your business
Find a sounding board today – find a mentor!
