Are you an experienced businessperson who would like to contribute your knowledge and expertise to help support the growth and resilience of micro, small or medium businesses in Somerset?
We are looking to fill the roles with active or retired executive and senior management level business leaders, or successful entrepreneurs, who can:
- understand the challenges associated with running and growing a business,
- the value of impartial advice and
- offer sector experience or a specialism such as finance, marketing, HR, or e-commerce.
And above all, be willing to give up their time for free to make a difference.
The Somerset Business Mentoring Programme was launched in March 2023 and to date has over 40 mentors who have been matched with over 50 mentees. The mentors have been selected from executive and senior management level business leaders or successful entrepreneurs. For example, mentors include a former CEO of a top NASDAQ quoted company, a Somerset coffee roaster who now supplies 200 outlets, a soft drinks manufacturer who supplies major retailers at home and abroad, a senior transformation executive who has worked with UK and US quoted businesses, a multi-million-pound NHS equipment supplier and a senior commercial lawyer, to name just a few!
One of the mentors, David Holmes from Transformational Leadership has described his recent experience of the scheme “Had my first mentoring client meeting yesterday under the Somerset Council Mentoring Programme. This is a wonderful initiative whereby the Council have invited experienced business leaders to offer support to less experienced managers to support them to grow their business or develop their career. Appropriate training has been provided for mentors, which is ILM certified, and local business has been invited to apply for support. If I had any doubts about the impact this programme could have, it was dispelled yesterday when I met an ambitious, talented, exceptional young woman at the start of her career, in a situation where she could have significant influence on the success of the business. We mentors volunteer our time and knowledge and I came away from the session with a sense of excitement and optimism for the impact this initiative can have on Somerset businesses. Thank you, Richard Swift, for inviting me to participate.”
Mentors provide 6 hours free mentoring, over a 6-month period. Although we offer 6 hours of free mentoring, this can be extended by mutual agreement if a mentor/mentee relationship is flourishing.
