The next wave: Business mentoring service in demand

By ELLEN READ

Demand for business mentoring is booming, with the number of businesses being helped nearly doubling in the past year.

Business in the Community, a non-profit organisation set up in 1991, has provided free mentoring to thousands of small businesses.

Chief executive Sarah Trotman said the organisation mentored 707 businesses in May compared with 391 businesses helped in the same month last year.

"We are growing. There is a significant demand for our programme," she said.

In spite of the huge growth, Ms Trotman said a recent customer satisfaction survey by accountants KPMG showed an increase in the quality of the mentoring offered.

"Quality is the key for us, not the number," she said.

The group even managed to sign up Clear Communications executive Peter Kaliaropoulous as a mentor during a function hosted by Clear this week to celebrate the success of the programme.

Business in the Community has more than 1200 mentors and 21 agencies nationwide.

An agency is due to open in West Auckland.