Objectives:

  • Provide one-on-one mentoring for early-stage business owners who are micro-lending clients of either Nasha Lending or CommunityWorks
  • Give experienced entrepreneurs who are committed to upstate South Carolina a new and exciting way to give back.
  • Build businesses that are growing, sustainable job creators

What is Business Mentoring?

Business mentoring is a combination of skills and activities intended to help a business owner improve the performance and long-term value of his/her business. Activities & rolescan include:

  • Advice and counsel
  • Training and education, or sourcing thereof
  • Skill development - planning, management, hiring, selling, etc.
  • Coaching - from blocking and tackling to building a playbook
  • Networking and contacts - referral of other resources
  • Organizational and cultural know-how
  • Ongoing personal support and encouragement
  • An available "executive on call"
  • A confidential sounding board, thinking room, and support for working through crucial and often complex decisions

THE MENTOR

Profile:

  • Experiencedgeneral manager or successful entrepreneur
  • Entrepreneur in business at least three years
  • Could also be retired but with a successful business ownership track record
  • Knowledgeablein the client's line(s) of business (preferred, but not required).

Expectations:

  • Be available to the client (phone/text/email) at least once a week for six months.
  • At least one face-to-face per month
  • At least two hours per month
  • Listen 3-times more than you talk
  • Provide encouragement, thoughtful feedback, and the benefit of your experience and network where appropriate
  • If a CommunityWorks client, report activities and progress on the reporting platform provided by CW

Engagement Process

Adhering to a structured engagement process ensures that the Mentor and Client get off on the right foot, with a set of mutually-agreed expectations and objectives. Key elements of the Rotary Business Mentors Engagement Process are detailed in a document by that name:

  • Execute a Mutual Respect Agreement (in RBM Library)
  • Preparation for 1st working session
  • Assessment
  • Plan & Expectations
  • Progress Tracking/Progress Reporting

THE CLIENT

Always remember that this is the client's business - they're responsible for its overall success and for all decisions. We are coaches, advisors and resources.

The client is responsible for:

  • Being available and responsive per the Mutual Respect agreement
  • Managing the business mentoring agenda by defining what he/she wants to accomplish:
  • Objectives to work on during the mentoring relationship
  • Writing the objectives down and giving the mentor a copy (may require some support from the mentor
  • Reviewing these objectives regularly with the mentor
  • Accepting feedback. Being coachable.
  • Taking responsibility for the business mentoring relationship
  • Taking the initiative and setting the pace – with the agreement of the mentor
  • Looking at the business mentoring process as a project they are managing