Supporting your organisation through you.

What is the difference between a Mentor and Business Mentor?

A mentor is essentially a ‘wise or trusted adviser or guide’. The word has its origins in Homer’s The Odyssey. Before leaving to fight the Trojan war, Odysseus leaves his son and estate in the care of his friend Mentor, who then guides the young Telemachus.

To give it a more modern context, a mentor is someone with more experience or wisdom, sharing and imparting his or her knowledge on to someone younger or less experienced.

The concept works incredibly well in a business environment where an entrepreneur may have a great idea for a business but needs a bit of guidance turning it into a successful and profitable venture.

Successful entrepreneurs will often attribute much of their achievement to the support and guidance they received from a mentor. Most notably, billionaire airline and entertainment industry mogul Richard Branson was mentored by the British airline entrepreneur Freddie Laker.

A business mentor is someone who can act as a sounding board for your ideas and plans. They bring their own unique experience of life and business and are willing to share their skills and knowhow with you. Having a business mentor can help you to focus, to look at your business from a different perspective. This is essential to identify strategies and opportunities for improvement and growth.