Business mentoring

What is business mentoring and how does it work?

Mentors are volunteers who give their time freely. They have a wealth of experience they are willing to share. The mentor's role is to support, develop, stimulate and challenge. An experienced mentor can help you to:

develop key business skills
increase profits and productivity
enter new markets and launch new products
improve customer service
improve your problem-solving abilities
build your confidence
widen your network of business contacts

If you plan to develop your business, this could be a very effective tool to help you plan your way forward. You can also see our guide on how to assess your options for growth.

How does business mentoring work?

The Business Mentoring Programme matches experienced mentors with ambitious businessmen and women. Business Mentoring Scotland will talk with you to discuss your business development ambitions. You will then be carefully matched with a mentor who has the skills and experience to meet your needs.

Mentors can meet with you to work through strategic objectives and activities, but they will also be at the end of the phone to support you when things get tough, or when you need someone to act as a sounding board. Mentors can help you stand back from your business and look at the 'big picture', identifying strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. They can offer helpful advice, caution against potential pitfalls and develop your confidence.

Mentors typically have a great network of contacts, friends and colleagues built up over their working careers. As a result, they can often open doors for you that would otherwise be closed.

One-to-one mentoring and group mentoring

Mentors can work with you on a one-to-one basis. Or, you can work as part of a group, where eight or ten companies meet to discuss common issues and share knowledge and resources under the guidance of a shared mentor. Either way, you can benefit from the insight, support and experience of a successful business person.

Having a business mentor won't automatically fix all your business problems. Mentors are not consultants and they don't take the place of existing professional advisers. See our guide on how to get the right advisers for growth.