Log In Behind the Scenes: The Role of a Volunteer Business Mentor in Small Business Success
Meet Nick: A Digital Boost Volunteer Business Mentor
We have a community of volunteer business mentors, all giving their time freely to support small businesses and charities! We’re on a mission to share their experiences and hopefully inspire even more people to try their hand at mentoring. Today we’d love you to meet Nick from the NatWest team π
Nick is the Enterprise Manager for NatWest and he’s passionate about helping small businesses to thrive! With over 28 years of experience, Nick shares his skills and knowledge with founders around the world through Digital Boost. He’s dedicated to supporting micro-businesses and charities at every stage of their journey so they don’t have to struggle alone.
We were lucky enough to interview Nick and hear about his experience as a volunteer business mentor!
Q: What motivates you to work with small businesses?
A: My passion for small businesses stems from a deep understanding of the challenges they face. Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the dedication and resilience of micro-business owners, and it’s truly inspiring. I believe in the importance of supporting these entrepreneurs; they’re the backbone of not only the wider economy but local economies too.
Q: Why did you become a volunteer business mentor
A: Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to accumulate a wealth of knowledge and experience. I feel a sense of duty to share this knowledge and give back to the next generation of business owners. Mentoring allows me to share lessons learned from my own journey, and share the experiences I’ve gained working with other entrepreneurs across my career. For me, it’s the fuel and the inspiration I need to go about my day-to-day work. Any time I meet with a mentor I feel inspired and I pour that energy back into what I’m working on!
Q: Can you share a standout experience from your time with Digital Boost?
A: One particularly memorable experience was mentoring a determined founder who had been grappling with various challenges in their business. Over the course of several months, we worked together to address these obstacles and formulate a strategic plan for growth. Seeing the progress and success that this entrepreneur achieved was immensely gratifying. It just goes to show how much of a difference mentoring can make for founders, regardless of where they are in their journeys.
Q: How do you balance mentoring with your other responsibilities?
A: Balancing mentoring with my other responsibilities requires careful time management and flexibility. Fortunately, my role at NatWest provides me with the flexibility to integrate mentoring sessions into my schedule. I love seeing supporting founders, so I prioritise my time to meet regularly with mentees throughout the week.
Q: What have you learned from your experience as a mentor?
A: As a mentor, it’s been really interesting seeing just how universal certain challenges are for business owners. Whether that’s navigating the world of digital marketing or working out the logistics of running a business, many entrepreneurs face similar obstacles along their journey. As a mentor, I’ve gained so much insight into what affects founders and how I can tailor my skills and guidance to support them and their unique needs.
Q: How would you describe Digital Boost to potential users and volunteers?
A: For me, I think Digital Boost serves as a lifeline for entrepreneurs seeking guidance and support on their business journey. It provides a platform where individuals can tap into a wealth of expertise and resources, ranging from marketing and legal advice to funding opportunities. Similarly, for volunteers, it presents a chance to make a meaningful impact by sharing their knowledge and experiences with aspiring entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
Nick and all the volunteer business mentors on our platform make the world of difference to founders all around the world! And as Nick says, mentoring doesn’t have to be complicated, it really is as a simple as offering founders the space to sound ideas and get clarity to move forward β¨ If you’re inspired by Nick’s story, we’d love to invite you to join our mentoring community.
Unlike other mentoring programmes our mentoring is flexible to your schedule, has no time commitment, and can be done from the comfort of wherever you are in the world π
If you’re ready to make a real difference, join our volunteer community here π
