Business Growth Hub calls for more female mentors

Greater Manchester’s Business Growth Hub is calling for more female entrepreneurs to step forward and help the region’s women succeed in business.

In celebrating International Women’s Day 2017, the Growth Hub said it wants more businesswomen to sign up and become mentors.

Over the last 12 months, the organisation’s 300 volunteers have established 153 mentoring relationships, but it said more needs to be done to better represent women.

Of the Hub’s pool of mentors, just 30% of volunteers are female.

Janine Smith, the Hub’s head of growth services, said: “We want to encourage more female business people to join us to work as mentors.

“There are huge benefits for anyone volunteering. Mentoring is a very rewarding role, offering a new challenge and providing the chance to hone your skills.”

She continued: “You are also giving back to your local community, playing an important role in helping develop future successful businesses in Greater Manchester.

“Mentoring works in many different ways. It can offer mentees the breathing space needed to work on their business or provide an independent perspective, acting as a sounding board for new ideas.”

Speaking further, Janine said mentors can likewise set new goals for their mentees and clarify their business direction, or assist mentees in developing new skills and preparing for changes in the business landscape.

Janine added: “This kind of one-to-one support can have significant results, helping businesses to grow dramatically.”

Eve Bell of Baba & Boo, an online retailer of reusable nappies and baby clothes based near Wigan, is one entrepreneur who said she has benefitted from working with a Hub mentor.

Eve, who said she felt stuck until meeting business mentor Fran McArthur, explained: “Working with Fran has given me much more focus and the confidence to take the business forward - I feel so much more in control.

“I now understand the numbers that lie behind the business strategy and I can use this information as a guide to how well the business is performing.”

She added: “After meeting Fran I now have a fantastic growth plan in place. What she has taught me in four months is nothing short of amazing, and I feel really excited for the future.”

Hub mentor Wendy Wild believes matching female mentors with female entrepreneurs brings an added dimension to the relationship.

She commented: “It’s incumbent upon women to help women particularly in male dominated industries and with issues specific to women.

“Mentoring enables anyone to give back in a constructive way, to share relevant business experiences and to help another person on their business journey. There are great benefits to be gained from imparting helpful knowledge and linking people together.”

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