Business Mentor is the Best Present You Can Get Your Company

28th November 2013

A Business Mentor is the Best Present You Can Get Your Company For 2014

Three thousand dollars worth of top flight business consultancy for only $150? The unique deal, which is business mentoring, is the best initiative a company can take to hit 2014 running, according to the CEO of Business Mentors New Zealand, the only national, volunteer business mentoring organisation.

Ray Schofield, CEO Business Mentors New Zealand explains that businesses would have to pay at least $3,000 commerically for the business mentoring service.

`We are able to offer the mentoring service for virtually nothing only because our highly experienced business mentors give their time free through the programme and through the invaluable patronage of those New Zealand companies who are our sponsors as well as Government support through NZTE, which help pay for the administration costs of matching the right mentor with the right business.

`It’s an amazing deal when you think about it. Where else can you get confidential, expert advice from the best people in business about how to improve your company. Our mentors have no vested interest in the relationship other than wanting to put something back into the New Zealand economy and helping make our businesses even better than they are already. We know that commerical operators charge upwards of $3,000 for this type of service. All we ask for is $150 towards the registration costs, which funds our agents around the country so they can match the best mentor for each applicant.

`But not only are our 1900 business mentors the best in their respective fields, whether that be financial advice, marketing strategy, human resources or succession planning, they are now more hands on than ever. On average our mentors will visit a business more than four times, but many mentor/business relationships last for quite long periods of time and become an essential part of the business’ development. Our mentors work closely with tens of thousands of SMEs and their owners, and have become a vital part of nurturing the New Zealand economy.’

Business Mentors New Zealand helps around 250 businesses every month and has assisted more than 65,000 small to medium-size enterprise owners in New Zealand over the last 22 years.

Ray Schofield adds: `It is the right time to be determining your business objectives and the strategy to achieve them during the year to come so that your company is able to hit 2014 running. Cash flow is still the number one problem facing SMEs but our mentors with the support of many of our Partner Patrons have become more creative in helping businesses find solutions to managing it. We are still asked, what sort of mentor will I get, or will people think less of me for asking for help, but by and large New Zealanders are becoming more willing to use a business mentor as a way of making their business more successful.

‘We have clearly shown that business mentoring has a significant role to play in the health of the country’s economy. New Zealanders make very good mentors. Friendliness and the values of “putting something back”, fairness and giving someone a hand up, resonate well with most of us. We have accumulated significant “grassroots” knowledge of small businesses and their owners –what their strengths, weaknesses and needs really are (as opposed to what they say they are).’

About Business Mentors New Zealand
Through the work of over 1,900 independent volunteer business mentors Business Mentors New Zealand enables people with recognised skills and success to put something back into their own communities. Business Mentors New Zealand provides access to a wide variety of volunteer mentors (who give their experience, skill and knowledge free of charge). The focus of the organisation is on developing capability, profitability, and employment generation. Business Mentors New Zealand is funded largely by patrons from the private sector, with additional support from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. It provides a mentoring service to any businesses that are trading, with less than 25 employees.

There is no limit on the number of mentoring sessions. The $150 registration fee allows mentoring for up to two years. The term of the relationship with a mentor depends on the objectives and goals both client and mentor jointly agrees upon. They can also contact their co-ordinator at any point for further assistance.

For more information about Business Mentors New Zealand please visit www.businessmentors.org.nz

ENDS

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