Business Mentors turns 25

Business Mentors turns 25

A father and daughter duo are helping Christchurch businesses succeed through their volunteer work with Business Mentors New Zealand, which turns 25 this year.

Chris and Olivia Bell – two of the 340 mentors currently volunteering in Canterbury for the not-for-profit organisation – are both happy to give their time and advice to business people starting out, wanting to grow or needing support with specific challenges.

The regional mentoring programme is one of the service offerings delivered by Canterbury Development Corporation through the national Regional Business Partner programme. The skills and background of mentors are specifically matched to the needs of individual businesses.

Since Business Mentors New Zealand started a quarter of a century ago the organisation has worked with more than 70,000 companies across the country, helping support local economies and creating jobs.

Chris, in his 60s and who lives in Merivale, has been a mentor since 2008, while Olivia, 33 and who also lives in Merivale, just joined in March this year. She is already mentoring a business, which she does as well as working fulltime in sales at TVNZ and running her own Arbonne health and wellness business.

“I decided to start mentoring after seeing my father’s involvement; not only was he helping others but he was getting a lot out of it himself,” Olivia said.

Chris, who is retired but has run his own business as well as being a chief executive for the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand and its parent organisation the Canterbury Aero Club, is proud Olivia has got involved in mentoring too.

“As a mentor I had used her in the past as someone to run ideas past for some of my clients, especially when their products were aimed at her demographic. I’m delighted she is now a mentor in her own right and can pass on her commercial expertise to businesses in need.”

Chris has worked with nearly a dozen businesses over the years and said there have been a lot of rewards over the years.

“The main highlights have been seeing businesses grow and become more profitable during recent hard times and also the prevention of business closures because of help from mentoring. I try to always be available as a sounding board for future decision making,” he said.

Canterbury Business Mentors manager Jill Taiaroa, who has been with the mentoring service in the region since it began, said it is a big milestone for the organisation to celebrate 25 years of operation. Its success was largely due to the commitment of the volunteer mentors and the clients they work with.

“Business Mentors New Zealand has been a remarkable story from its beginning in 1991 and continues to go from strength to strength. Canterbury has been a significant contributor to the success of the business mentors programme nationally due to the support of our mentors and the demand from the region.”

Jill said mentors range in age and experience and give valuable support based on their working backgrounds. They all volunteer a minimum of four hours per month to businesses currently trading with 25 or less employees.

For more information about Business Mentors New Zealand visit www.businessmentors.org.nz or to find out more about Canterbury Development Corporation, visit www.cdc.org.nz

• An appreciation event is being held for all current Canterbury volunteers on Tuesday 16 August, at GreenHouse, 146a Lichfield Street.

ENDS

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