Gloucestershire’s finest offer free business mentoring

For established business owners, brand new start ups, and serial entrepreneurs – nothing comes close to having that trusted, knowledgeable peer to bounce ideas off and be accountable to. But how do you find one you can trust, without wasting your time searching, or wasting your money on trial and error?

The Growth Hub Mentors programme solves this problem – giving you access to some of the county’s most inspiring business leaders, with matchmaking and chemistry tests to ensure a good fit for both of you, and no obligation or costs.

Here’s what happens:

1. You meet with your Business Navigator, who already knows you and your business, and they make an initial recommendation for which of our mentors has the right character and skillset for you. (If you don’t have a Business Navigator yet, you’ll meet yours as the first step in any of our support.)

2. You’ll meet with the mentor we’ve recommended, for a casual meeting where you can assess each other’s suitability. On your part, you might be looking for somebody with very specific knowledge of a niche sector, or you might be looking for somebody completely outside your world who can offer an objective view. On their part, they’re looking for somebody who they can make a positive benefit with and enjoy a working relationship with.

3. If the fit isn’t right, we’ll put you in touch with another and you can find a better fit. But if it works first time, which it usually does, you’ll kick off a mentor/mentee relationship that could last for years and make huge changes to you and your business.

Here’s how it works:

A mentor is not the same as a coach. They won’t necessarily be there to teach you new skills or techniques, nor do they need to know your sector particularly well. The mentor/mentee relationship is a human relationship, where they draw the answers out of you rather than tell you what they are.

“We are not there to tell you how to run your business. You know your business infinitely better than we do. But we are there to ask the questions that challenge you, so you can make the most of your business.” – David Chapman, Mentor

“Some of them (questions) were quite tough, and you always went there, even if I didn’t want you to. But they made you think, and I went from being not sure if I wanted an agency to I’m going to do this and commit to it. Which was a massive difference for me.” – Henny Maltby, Mentee

Mentoring is much more about mindset, inspiration, and aspiration. It’s long term, deep diving, strategic, and concerned as much with you as the business leader as with the business itself. It’s not short term, quick fix, or tactical.

If mentoring sounds like something you’d be interested in finding more about, please visit www.thegrowthhub.biz/mentors.

And if you’d like to hear more, from David’s perspective as a mentor and Henny’s perspective as a mentee, SoGlos’s recent interview is an excellent resource.