Last month we asked readers of Mentoring and Enterprise Monthly how they tackled all things digital. We asked what aspects of digital your business can not survive without, what are your biggest digital headaches, and where you turn for help. This was to help us explore in what ways we can support small businesses as […]
News and Blog Articles
“You take for granted what you’ve learnt on your journey”
Pam Calvert is the Chief Executive of Communications Management, an integrated PR and marketing communications consultancy that specialises in the education sector. It was recently ranked as the leading PR consultancy in the public sector, by industry magazine PR Week, and understandably the company has an impressive list of clients, including, Brunel University, Lancaster University, […]
What do large corporates and micro businesses have in common? A mentor finds out
We interviewed Andy Judd, Credit Analyst at the Birmingham Mid Markets Credit Management Centre, Lloyds Banking Group, to find out what led him to train as a mentor, why his bank was supporting his mentoring, and what he had learnt from the process. Why did you decide to train as a mentor? I’ve worked for […]
Taking innovations to market
Jermaine Weeks is used to coming up with ideas, in fact his business depends on it, so we asked him whether he thought sourcing a mentor was a great idea for a new enterprise, “I think it can be really useful for helping you focus your strategy and to broaden your contact base. So far […]
Graduates and SMEs: Bridging the Gap – The IOEE Summer Survey Results
The Background A recent report by SFEDI and Newcastle University Business School (NUBS) highlights that whilst there is a clear case that graduates make a positive contribution to SMEs, there are a number of barriers to recruitment of graduates within SMEs. Using evidence from Gilleard and Reichwald (2008) the report highlights that graduates can increase the […]
Designer, Entrepreneur and Mentor: Kemi Farquharson shares her story
This month we were delighted to catch up with Kemi Farquharson, designer and founder of Kemi Boutique which designs couture wedding dresses for the bride-to-be with curves. Her collections have attracted international interest and have led to even more entrepreneurial ventures, including her couture perfume line, First Love, a Plus Size Wedding Fair called Loving Your […]
Entrepreneur champions mentoring at Disability & Employment Conference
Earlier this year we interviewed Chibuike Maduforo, an inspiring young entrepreneur and one of the Intuit 100Up, to find out about his business and how his mentor has supported him since he attended our first Meet A Mentor event at the MADE Festival last September. As a result of that story, Chibuike was invited to […]
New qualifications set to widen the skills of enterprise mentors
Lloyds Banking Group has worked in partnership with the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) and Business Mentors South West (BMSW) to develop a brand new suite of qualifications for enterprise mentors keen to develop their skills in digital skills, business support networks, strategic planning, and financial support. The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) qualifications, which […]
Lessons from a new business: “Stick to your strengths, do your research, and plan!”
At the IOEE we’re always keen to find out what challenges are facing new business and what kind of support is helping them on their way. This month we caught up with Liam McGinley, who has recently joined the IOEE, to find out more about the business that himself and his business partners have recently […]
What happens when … a property business owner meets a bank mentor
Divian Mistry already had a well established business when he found out about the opportunity to source a mentor from the banking sector. Divian started investing in property a few years ago after leaving University. He’s now developed a wealth of expertise in the sector, and also runs a business to help people who are […]