Entrepreneurship

Why turn
to a mentor
to start up
a business?

Mentoring has existed for a long time, but it always stays in fashion, especially in the world of entrepreneurship. The reason is quite simple: mentoring dramatically increases a business’s chances of success.

According to a statistic from the Fondation de l’entrepreneurship, 73% of businesses that benefit from the help of a mentor could celebrate their fifth anniversary.

Mentoring: An ace in the hole

Are you a young entrepreneur (in age and/or experience)? You’re fairly resourceful, but you don’t have anyone to share your ideas with? A mentor could be a great help to you.

A mentor is someone who has experience in a given field, such as entrepreneurship, and who is willing to share their knowledge on a volunteer basis with someone less experienced, like you.

The Fondation de l’entrepreneurship defines the role of mentor as a combination of critic and cheerleader. A mentor is there to facilitate your reflection and your sense of self-assessment, but also to help you develop your independence.

A good mentor will listen to you, ask questions, help you identify solutions or review decisions. But possibly more than any other role, the mentor will be there to break the isolation that you are experiencing as an entrepreneur.

There are many advantages to using a mentor. But you have to find the right person.

Finding a fit

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is well-known for the assistance that it provides to over 30,000 SMBs across the country. To help you find a good mentor, it identifies seven qualities that you should look for in a mentor. In summary it recommends that you find someone:

• Who you get along well with.
• Who will be available.
• Who knows how to listen.
• Who has a positive attitude.
• Who is open-minded.
• Who will treat you as an equal.
• Who will not spare you.

For everyone

The Réseau M has been offering mentoring services for 15 years. Fully dedicated to entrepreneurship, this organization is a treasure trove of entrepreneurial resources.

The mission of Mentorat Québec is to promote mentoring in the workplace. Even though it is not a mentoring program as such, the organization’s website contains a great deal of useful information.

Regional

Do you live in the Quebec City region? No problem. SAGE-Mentorat d’affaires offers mentoring services to entrepreneurs in the region, whether you are in the pre-startup or startup phase, or growing.

Entrepreneurs in northern Quebec also have access to mentoring through the Centre d’entrepreneurship nordique. Your business must be in operation for more than six months.

For young people

Are you between 18 and 39 years old? Futurpreneur Canada offers a matching program with mentors. Not only is the organization focused on entrepreneurship, but it is also a good source of information on all kinds of topics, such as drafting a business plan, planning, and much more.

Fondation Montréal offers 90 startup businesses access to a range of services, including mentoring. To be eligible, you must be between age 18 and 35 and submit an application.

For women

According to a BMO survey, 52% of women in Quebec would like to start up a business. To respond to this interest, a certain number of organizations have created customized mentoring programs.

Even though it offers services to everyone, the Centre d’entrepreneuriat Féminin du Québec (CEFQ) has developed expertise in female entrepreneurship. The CEFQ supports and coaches entrepreneurs on their career path by offering them a mentoring service.

Femmessor Québec is a network that exclusively supports women in their business projects. The network offers a range of related services, from financing assistance to mentoring.

You now have everything you need to start on this great mentoring adventure. Don’t hesitate. It can only contribute to your success.