Objective

What is Business Mentor NY?
Business Mentor NY is the state's first large scale, web-based, hands-on mentoring program geared to help entrepreneurs and established small businesses overcome challenges to grow their business.  Providing skills-based volunteerism by individuals or groups that capitalizes on personal talents or core business skills, experience or education to support small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Business mentor volunteers act as pro-bono advisors and sounding boards for small business owners that are looking for guidance.  Small business mentoring provides a potential solution to accessing needed information and expertise through a streamlined process, enabled by technology.

Overview

Business Mentor NY's network includes professionals across a variety of different industries and with diverse skill sets such as finance and cash flow management, retail, communications and IT, human resources and staffing, public relations, and sales and marketing.

Small Businesses benefit by:

• Obtaining guidance from successful professionals uniquely qualified to address their business questions and obstacles.
• Gaining skills and knowledge to overcome challenges and perform at a higher level.

Mentors benefit by:

• Honing leadership and communication skills
• Expanding their network of like-minded professionals
• Contributing to small business growth in New York State in tangible, high-impact ways and receiving feedback on the results of their engagements.
   

Eligibility

Business Mentor NY is available to any NY State business that employs 100 or fewer employees. To qualify as a mentor, professionals should have three years of business ownership experience, or five years of management experience.

Get Started

To get started now visit the website at www.businessmentor.ny.gov to setup a profile.