Mentors in Marlborough making their mark

Business Trust Marlborough’s board is proving they can walk the talk when it comes to helping local businesses.

All five trustees also volunteer as business mentors, making it the first time the whole board have all been Business Mentors New Zealand members.

Business Trust Marlborough (BTM) has been involved with Business Mentors New Zealand since the trust formed in 2014 and is the Mentor Manager for the Marlborough region.

BTM manager Brian Dawson says the board have all seen firsthand how valuable mentoring can be.

“We’ve all seen first-hand how valuable mentorship can be to cultivating success which is why we are so committed to Business Mentors New Zealand.”

More than 60 local businesspeople volunteer their time to support new and existing businesses, and the trust manages around 40 mentoring relationships at any one time.

Deputy chair Beth Barnes has been a mentor for about six years, BTM chair Aaron Marshall and trustee Darrell Bate have both been volunteering for about three years, trustee Mark Lucas for four years and new trustee Gina Jewell started volunteering as a mentor earlier this year.

Beth Barnes decided to volunteer as a mentor after experiencing the benefits of having a business mentor herself, she says.

“Having someone to ask the hard questions and see things through different eyes, being able to connect you with the people you need, and holding you accountable for the things you want to achieve working on your business are the big benefits of having a mentor.

But she says it’s not just the businesses being mentored who benefit. “As a mentor I also learn so much from each mentee, giving me new ways of looking at things and reminding me what I need to do in my business.”

Aaron Marshall agrees, saying he has gotten just as much out of mentoring as being mentored.

“We really all have something to give to others, as well as being able to be the recipient of others experience and wisdom.

“The Business Trust is particularly good at fostering those relationships, and matching mentors and mentees who you may not necessarily have thought of, or had access to,” he says.

Trustee Darrell Bate says helping people build something from nothing is appealing.

He also sees benefits for the mentor themselves in volunteering their time.

“I believe all good business professionals benefit from seeing others succeed in their own journey and celebrating that success together.

“Success leaves clues, meaning that watching others win will allow you to find ways to succeed more yourself,” he says.

Business Trust Marlborough and Business Mentors New Zealand are always keen to hear from business people wanting to volunteer as mentors, and from businesses interesting in benefiting from being mentored.

The mentor programme is 12 months of confidential one-on-one advice for owners of small and medium-sized businesses and organisations currently trading, who want to grow or need help to solve specific business challenges.

Anyone interested in more information should get in touch with Brian Dawson at Business Trust Marlborough or visit www.businessmentors.org.nz.