1. October - November 2012
Intelligent SME
Mentorship
Finding the spark
through mentorship
Why is mentorship a buzzword in the
marketplace? ISME paints a picture on the
importance of mentoring in the life of an
entrepreneur.
W
hen an entrepreneur according to Kathleen Bury, business UAE government has recognised
assumes he or she knows manager (GCC and North Africa), the efforts of the SME sector here.
it all, he is doomed to Mowgli Foundation, a leading Governmental aid extended to the local
failure. mentoring organisation headquarterd entrepreneurs has been increased to
Entrepreneurs, therefore, are in the UK, that caters to placing AED2 billion in 2011.
always on a learning curve. They need mentorship at the heart of supporting Although finance and talent
to update, innovate and continuously entrepreneurship and leadership seem to be the only tangible means of
re-invent. It pays to stay attuned to development through the recruitment, fuelling rapid growth in SME’s, there
new trends and seek new ways of training and matching of mentors with is more than meets the eye. Experts
approaching a problem. Previously the entrepreneurs. Having been around for have, for some time been emphasising
idea of mentorship was never a formal the past four years, the organisation has on the need for ongoing support with
one; if a new entrepreneur needed help been involved in the development of the help of training and being in the
in a technical area, there was nothing over 400 entrepreneurs and mentors. company of mentors every step of the
to stop him or her from going up to an Many experts, including Bury, entrepreneurial journey.
experienced one and seeking his help. believe that the recent emphasis on Mentoring is very different from
Today, people do not bother to ask mentorship is due to the onus on consulting or coaching. It involves
questions. entrepreneurs and SMEs that are the listening to an entrepreneur. It’s about
“There’s more to an enabling focus of individual governments all starting the thought process in an
environment than just finance,” over the world. Closer to home, the entrepreneur by asking questions and
seeing how he or she takes it forward.
I think people are now realising that you can’t be on
Need for mentorship
In the current political, social and
your own, and that you need guidance. All successful
economic conditions in the region,
people will always find a mentor because mentoring
is having someone tell you what you need to know... entrepreneurs feel pressured and need
Kathleen Bury, business manager to be supported at all times. A great
(GCC and North Africa), Mowgli Foundation
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2. October - November 2012
Intelligent SME
Mentorship
way to address economic issues is
by supporting start-ups and SMEs Mentoring is an art; it is about endearing yourself
that create jobs. However, many new to the mentee and understanding their problems.
entrepreneurs are not accustomed to
the financial nuances, the nitty-gritty of
You have to be a good leader to be a mentor.
Yogesh Mehta, M.D,
administration, regulations and checks Petrochem Middle East
as well as the experienced decision
making abilities of seasoned business it is about endearing yourself to Later a matching session modelled after
owners. “For a person there are many the mentee and understanding their speed-dating ensures that entrepreneurs
ways not to succeed. Sometimes it’s problems. You have to be a good have a chance to meet all the mentors.
due to lack of management or for want leader to be a mentor,” says Yogesh Here Mowgli’s trained facilitators
of the right co-founder, or perhaps Mehta, managing director, Petrochem watch the interactions for the ‘sparks’
your great business plan is not ready Middle East. Mehta, being a Harvard and determine the pairings “The bond
for a certain market. You either adapt Business School alumnus, has taken up between an entrepreneur and his or
or don’t begin at all. People who have mentorship of three students. her mentor is hugely powerful,” notes
succeeded in spite of these challenges “The mentor is responsible for the Kathleen. In this relationship, an
can help start-ups on how to overcome mentee’s success; he is an anchor, a entrepreneur gains many skills that
this,” according to Ludmilla Figueiredo, father figure who is all forgiving and enhance their leadership development,
operations manager of Seed Startup. all understanding. It requires great and increase the likelihood of the
Figueiredo’s first experience with character to be a good mentor. It is success and sustainability of their
mentorship was with Endeavour, an hard work to understand people as you business.
organisation that works with high- may have different points of views. As powerful as mentorship seems,
impact SMEs in Brazil. Later she If you have shown the right way to there are challenges associated with
moved to the Middle East and signed your mentee, then you are a successful this medium of support. The primary
up with Seed Startup, an intense mentor. It’s not only saying the good challenge is the need for a mentor to
accelerator program that provides seed things - it can be harsh and strong stay committed, devoting a long-term
investment and mentorship to founders advice. It’s about being objective interest in the activities of his or her
of web and mobile start-ups. and showing the pros and cons of a mentee, and which can sometimes be
“I think people are now realising situation,” Mehta adds. very stressful. “A good mentor is
that you can’t be on your own, and hands-on, and has to be ready to listen.
that you need guidance. All successful Fresh perspective It’s an exciting environment, but
people will always find a mentor Mentorship provides support it’s important to maintain a balance
because mentoring is having someone throughout the journey of the between giving advice and going
tell you what you need to know, and not entrepreneur, unlike paid advice that is through a process with them. Being
always what you want to hear. It’s about given by a consultant or a trainer. hands-on doesn’t mean doing the
having that honest voice that keeps Contrary to popular belief, work for them, but it’s about guiding
you on track without faltering. People mentorship is not always taken up by them,” explains Figueiredo. Political
are now beginning to see the power the more experienced individuals. conditions in many parts of the GCC
mentoring can have from a personal Companies like GE have long region have posed a challenge to the
and business perspective,” Bury notes. advocated reverse mentorship, where entrepreneurs in these locales. Many
senior and junior executives work have been forced to quit their business
Leadership together to absorb the best of both and leave the area. Affected areas are
Entrepreneurship and leadership individuals. also hit on the technological side and,
are two qualities that go together. A therefore, mentors in other countries
true entrepreneur is a great leader Skills and competency are often cut off from their mentees for
owing to his idea that has generated Mowgli’s mentorship program purely technical reasons.
profit and success. Mentorship begins with a preliminary three-day Sometimes, there are cultural
inculcates this very quality in experience program that introduces reasons, and as mentorship presents a
entrepreneurs. “Mentoring is an art; potential mentors to entrepreneurs. powerful network to an entrepreneur
on behalf of a mentor, there may be
differences of opinion in sharing
these contacts. All said and done, the
A good mentor is hands-on, and has to be ready to listen.
bond between mentor and mentee is a
It’s an exciting environment, but it’s important to maintain
powerful one. It is a mutual relationship
a balance between giving advice and going through a
Ludmilla Figueiredo, operations that benefits both parties. And it will
process with them.
manager, Seed Startup.
elevate the growth of entrepreneurs.
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