Becoming a business mentor
Do you have the skills and experience to act as a business mentor for ambitious, growing businesses?
Business mentors act as a sounding board to support, develop, stimulate and challenge the leaders of businesses or social enterprises.
As successful business people in their own right, mentors have the experience and knowledge that growing businesses and organisations look for. Most importantly, they are willing to share their knowledge and provide encouragement and confidential and objective feedback to help you consider how to grow your business or organisation.

The benefits of being a business mentor
Being a mentor is a rewarding and satisfying experience. Mentors highlight that it can also help them to:

• hone their coaching skills
• enhance their leadership skills
• widen their contacts
• develop a new perspective on their business

Mentoring is challenging and stimulating for both parties. You’ll feel considerable satisfaction when your mentee reports back progress and improvements on the issues and challenges that they are addressing. You’ll also have the added satisfaction that you are giving something back and supporting the Scottish economy.

Skills and experience you’ll need as a mentor
Business mentors have the right mix of skills and experience, including:
the ability to listen and empathise
experience of the issues and challenges faced by growing businesses and organisations
the ability to offer encouragement and sympathy
a supportive and hands-off approach that allows others to make their own decisions
a willingness to volunteer your time, knowledge and skills