The deputy head of Bournemouth University Business School’s people and organisation department is one of almost 5,000 business leaders that have signed up to become part of a national network of voluntary mentors to help SMEs realise opportunities to grow.
Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova, has experience of working in both academia and at a senior level within the SME space. Her professional experience spans a variety of industries including manufacturing, hospitality, transport, construction, real estate, medical services and alternative energy sources, where she set up and managed departments including PR and marketing and research and development.
According to the Office for National Statistics, improving and developing management practices can result in a productivity boost of up to 10 per cent.*
A qualified mentor with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) since 2014, Svetla now volunteers as part of the Help to Grow: Management course to give back to the UK’s small business community.
She said: “I have been involved in business mentoring through the CMI scheme for nine years. This gave me the opportunity to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, as well as middle and senior managers from organisations such as Unilever, leading UK universities and professional bodies.
“It was rewarding to see these individuals change their way of thinking, gain confidence, build their leadership skills and, ultimately, succeed in their careers. I witnessed first-hand the positive impact of mentoring on people from different generations and walks of life, and it is a rewarding experience.”
Svetla, who received further training in mentoring by the Association of Business Mentors (ABM) said: “It may sound a cliché, but a good mentor must possess genuine interest in others and a desire to help others grow and develop. Being empathetic is a key attribute. It is important to be able to act as a sounding board, a discussion partner and a critical friend. A good mentor should bring a lot of experience and be well connected.”
Being a mentor has also been rewarding for Svetla. She added: “For me, the best thing is that sense of pride in seeing others achieve their goals and aspirations, being part of their achievements and feeling their recognition and gratitude. The biggest challenge? It can be easy to get carried away and offer consulting solutions instead of guidance.”
The Help to Grow: Management Course offers senior business leaders one-to-one support from an experienced and fully rated business mentor included in 50 hours of leadership and management training across 12 weeks, with the government covering 90% of the costs involved. Training is delivered via a national network of over 50 business schools.
Emma Jones, founder of small business support platform Enterprise Nation, part of the consortium of businesses contracted to recruit volunteer mentors for the course, said: “It’s so important right now for businesses to be able to access high quality support like this. Building a national network of mentors is a real legacy for the UK’s small business community.
“The Help to Grow: Management Course online platform allows businesses to find the perfect mentor so they can start to put what they have learned into practice.”
A digital platform uses data and weighting technology to pair businesses with mentors based on location, sector, and mentoring support required. Mentors sign up on a voluntary basis and offer a commitment of 10 hours, over 12 weeks, plus time to engage in training offered by the Association of Business Mentors.
In exchange for offering their time and experience, voluntary Help to Grow: Management Course mentors receive significant value in the form of industry recognised mentor training, access to qualified content, networking opportunities with other mentors, and the possibility to join a national effort aimed at supporting the growth of the UK economy by increasing small businesses’ productivity.
Led by business support group Newable and including Enterprise Nation and the Association of Business Mentors the consortium has been appointed by the Government to develop a national network of business leaders and experts who will share their skills and experience with firms on the practical management training course.
For those interested in becoming a mentor, sign up here.
* ONS (2018), Management practices and productivity in British production and services industries – initial results from the Management and Expectations Survey: 2016
