If you’ve got experience in business, there are others out there who want to learn from you.
Becoming a mentor
Mentor coach or advisor?
Passing on your business knowledge to help another person succeed can be a rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. By drawing upon your experience in business, you can help another person like you start, manage, grow or exit their business.
Mentors are genuine business people who give their time to support other people in business. As a mentor, your role is to support your mentee business owner to navigate inevitable challenges and motivate them to seek potential opportunities.
Mentors are not coaches or consultants. They are not trying to sell services or products. Being a mentor is a way of giving back, sharing business experience, and helping a mentee move forward in their business. It can also be a way to widen your network and get to know other people doing business in your community.
It’s up to you how much time you’re able to commit as a mentor, but usually, only a few hours a month is needed. You’ll also choose the mentee you work with. Mentees may be small business owners, start-up entrepreneurs or not-for-profit decision-making executives.
Getting Started
A good way to become a mentor is to register your interest and apply on the Business Mentors New Zealand (BMNZ) website. Once you become a mentor, you’ll work with a regional coordinator from BMNZ. They will guide you through the process of becoming a mentor.
Volunteering as a mentor – Business Mentors New Zealand
If you’re interested in becoming a mentee, BMNZ has mentoring programmes for small businesses, startups and social enterprise businesses.
Small business mentoring – Business Mentors New Zealand
Startup mentoring – Business Mentors New Zealand
Social enterprise mentoring – Business Mentors New Zealand
BMNZ is an independent not-for-profit organisation that’s sole purpose is to support mentors and their mentees. For 29 years, they have been providing structure and support to foster positive mentoring experiences.
Source: Business. Govt. NZ
