Business Mentoring

In support of local businesses success, Ely Cathedral Business Group coordinates a mentoring service for start up or small organisations.

Purpose

The purpose of this support is to develop an informal, constructive relationship whereby the owners can create sustainable, profitable organisations which contribute to the economy, consider their impact on the environment and contribute to a thriving community.

Objectives

ECBG coordinates a volunteer mentoring service which aims to stimulate business thinking, provide a 'sounding board' and support the owners or managers in new or small businesses in their decision making and performance management.

Scope

The mentoring service is provided on a voluntary basis from people with a wide range of business experience.
It is applicable to small embryonic or start up businesses, typically employing three people or fewer.
Access to the mentors is entirely discretionary and provided on an informal, voluntary basis. the service includes:
Access to volunteer mentors with experience in:

  • Accountancy
  • Agriculture
  • Appraisals
  • Business plan writing
  • Business start-up support
  • Business structure; incorporation, Partnership, Proprietor
  • Cash Flow preparation
  • Dealing with banks
  • Health & Safety
  • Insurance
  • IT
  • Leadership development
  • Lean thinking
  • People Management
  • Performance management KPIs
  • Procurement
  • Recruitment and Interviewing
  • Sales and marketing
  • Taxation

Contact

If you are interested in the Mentoring Service, or would like to offer your Services as a Mentor, please contact info@ecbg.org.uk

file-word ECBG Mentoring Application Form

file-pdf ECBG Mentoring Application Form

Disclaimer

This is a voluntary initiative - neither ECBG nor any individuals or organisations participating in the Mentoring Programme take responsibility for the quality of the service provided by volunteer mentors. The Service is not: professional consultancy, financial investment advice or operational management.

Business Mentoring Endorsements

'The ECBG business mentoring scheme came along at just the right time for me. Having worked from home for several years I now had my office space and ambitions to grow...

'The ECBG business mentoring scheme came along at just the right time for me. Having worked from home for several years I now had my office space and ambitions to grow but no firm idea as to how to go about it.'

Books and blogs on running a business are great, but what I really felt I needed was someone with whom I could talk it all through. It's difficult when you're the one that's keeping everything in your mind at once - doing the work, finding the work, making sure you get paid for the work - so to find someone with such great business experience who could view everything from a neutral, uncluttered perspective has been great.

My mentor has asked me lots of difficult questions, which is good. Unlike a family member he won't just tell me everything I'm doing is brilliant, which is good too. I feel like there's a structure behind the decisions I'm making.

Sue

‘I just wanted to send you an email to say how wonderful and helpful it has been working and talking through our Business with David Newman. Daniel and Myself would like to say a big thank you to the Ely Cathedral Business Group for putting us in touch with David.

We mainly focused on budgeting and forecasting with David and it was a huge help to our business with the day to day running as well as each of our individual projects. We hope that our relationship with David will continue as he was so welcoming and approachable toward us and so helpful with our Business. We are now implementing the budgeting template that David helped us create into each project we do.

So thank you David and thank you Ely Cathedral Business Group.'

Katherine - KD Theatre Productions Ltd