Peter Boyes writes about business mentoring in the Pacific




Business mentoring, where an experienced senior business person coaches a developing enterprise, is a well established part of the commercial landscape in New Zealand, with thousands of owner managed companies drawing on the programme for support.
The model of a free service, manned by highly skilled volunteer professionals has been so successful that the New Zealand government has chosen to use it as a vital centre piece of its Pacific aid programme.
Since May 2010, Business Mentors New Zealand (BMNZ) has operated a Pacific Mentoring Programme to provide practical support for businesses in eleven Pacific Island countries with funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Former Canterbury farmer and co-founder of Agrifax, the rural business information service, Rod McKenzie, was one of the first people to join the scheme as a mentor.
Rod was awarded the Membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to agriculture. He explains: `Before joining the Pacific mentoring scheme I was involved in mentoring in Christchurch for two years. Mentors were asked to apply for the Pacific scheme about two years ago. I have done a lot of travel in the region over the last 30 years and have a high degree of empathy for the people. While I have a strong agricultural background, I have also developed interests in tourism, car rentals and internet marketing.
`Around 120 mentors applied and 15 were accepted for the first intake.  I was allocated to Samoa, which was one of the Pacific countries that I had not been to so I was pleased with that.

`I went up for the first visit in June 2010. There were five mentors as well as the BMNZ Pacific Programme GM, Ian Furlong. We went for a full week and were allocated five clients each. There was a big range including hospitality,  tourism, IT, real estate and agriculture.’
Mentors visit the islands every six months, which means that each client gets two visits a year in June and November.
Rod points out: `I’ve just been on my fourth visit. It is quite challenging but interesting and has become very rewarding as you see your clients begin to change and progress. For example, I introduced new marketing techniques and promotional initiatives to two tourism clients  which have transformed their visibility. Although there are some similarities with small businesses in New Zealand the issues are different. Many have basic capital inadequacy and profitability issues related to poor marketing, accounting and staffing.’
At the first meeting Rod aims to develop a set of action points with his clients which they undertake to do before he returns for the second visit six months later. In between he keeps in touch by email.
He says: `As you help them through the issues the clients are able to go on their own and new ones come on the programme. I’ve only got one client from my first visit.’
It’s clear that the BMNZ Pacific Programme has earned a special place in the island business environment.
Rod explains: ‘Although there are a lot of other agencies in the region and aid is offered from other countries, there is an excellent attitude towards our programme and NZAid. Confidentiality is very important in the Pacific islands and they are very reticent about talking to their own countrymen about business but they are much happier talking to us.’
Tokoroa based business adviser, Dianne Turco has brought a lifetime of commercial experience to the people of Vanuatu through the Pacific mentoring programme.

Dianne was born in New Zealand, has a background in teaching and then thirty years in the US in business where she held a variety of management and leadership roles in five different states.
As general manager of the South Waikato Economic Development Trust she established and developed the Business Development Centre for the South Waikato and has worked with over 900 businesses across all sectors in that role. A special moment was winning the Vero Excellence Award winner for Small Business support with the implementation of QLBS.com Web based Business Capability Assessment for businesses. She was also involved in the facilitation of economic development projects in the South Waikato.
Dianne started business mentoring in 2004 with Business Mentors New Zealand, while working in the both Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.
When she left the Business Development Centre she was asked to be an Capability Assessor for the NZTE training programme and did so until the  programme was re structured in 2011.  She now works as a mobile business advisor and mentor with her consultancy, Diversity –enabling solutions.
Dianne explains: `I enjoy working one to one with my clients as it gives me the time to help them relate to their business. I am very focussed on them understanding what the purpose of their business is and how important it is to carry that knowledge through all levels of the business.

‘As part of the five member Vanuatu mentoring team, I thought it would require a very different approach, but I find I do just what I do in New Zealand and take the same approach. I listen, find out their needs and issues and how we can help, then together put achievable action plans in place. The people are friendly, resourceful, enthusiastic and are like sponges; very receptive and hungry for it. One thing a little different for the Pacific Island programme is that the Vanuatu businesses are not all at the level where you can go into a very deep assessment. Some are very basic whereas others have been to University and are “on the ball”, moving very quickly through the action plans. There is a wide cross section of capability levels and issues.

‘I was interested to find that some clients on Vanuatu have had a lot of help but indicated that it had been mostly theory or was “done for us”. There is among our clients a lack of understanding of the “whys” and “hows”.
“Getting people to realise that they do have the answers is such a thrill for me. That is what mentoring is all about. Assisting businesses to learn how to do for themselves in a way that makes sense to them and which they can be successful in.’

Dianne finds the five member team approach works well, with mentors having a variety of experience and skills to draw on during each week long and remotely within New Zealand should the need arise. ‘The Vanuatu team is a very close, supportive team,’ she says.

Dianne is working with Vanuatu businesses in Tourism, Timber milling and Furniture Manufacture, Food Manufacturing and Alternative Energy, with six clients. She will complete her third visit in March. She has expectations that there will be closures during the next two visits: ‘Some clients I will see for two or three visits and then they’ll be ready to go on their own. Others only need a little encouragement or a sounding board as is the case in New Zealand. The skill with mentoring is to know when to jump in and then jump out again.
`Business principles are the same, and underneath, people are the same.

‘Mentoring is one way you can truly make a difference and my passion is working with small and medium businesses. Throughout my career I have been involved in start ups and the Pacific Programme rang the same sort of bells for me.

‘I am literally pumped by The Pacific mentoring experience. The clients are so happy to see us. It was an exhilarating experience the first time and it still is looking forward to my third visit. There are some fantastic businesses out there who are truly appreciative of the mentoring assistance received through this Programme.’

The programme now covers six countries and 270 client businesses.  In 2012 the Programme will enter Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Niue and possibly Tokelau. As well as New Zealand volunteer mentors offering their valuable skills and expertise, local mentors are also being trained so that they can be a source of ongoing advice, knowledge and information. These locally based mentors have high credibility in their Pacific Island communities, with many owning their own businesses or holding respected positions in other companies.
The programme aims to assist small and medium sized businesses in the Pacific to manage and grow their businesses in a way that supports sustained increases in production and employment over time. It is hoped the programme will be a catalyst for identifying other business needs such as training, and create opportunities for partnerships and joint ventures, and increased Pacific exports, including to New Zealand.
Business Mentors New Zealand is funded largely by patrons from the private sector, with additional support from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. It provides a mentoring service to businesses that have been operating for at least six months and is the owner’s main source of income. A registration fee of $100+GST applies, which entitles you to use the mentoring service for two years. This is the only cost to you – the mentoring you receive is free!
More details can be found at www. businessmentors.org.nz or by calling 0800 209 209.
Peter Boyes is a volunteer Business Mentor as well as a PR and marketing communications advisor with BPR.




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