Mentoring is a programme which allows business leaders to get expert advice from highly successful creative entrepreneurs.

For most leaders running a creative business, having access to advice from someone who has already successfully grown and, in many cases, sold a creative business is invaluable.

The experience they can share, allows business leaders to take decisions more quickly and confidently, as well as widen their own knowledge and skills to manage their business better and grow it more rapidly.

Mentoring has been established by South West Screen, in conjunction with NESTA. It is based on the highly successful model developed by NESTA (more info here) which placed a number of successful and high-profile entrepreneurs to mentor a range of digital, media and creative business leaders.

Applications should be made by answering all the questions on the online application form. Shortlisted companies will be invited to interview, following which a final list of participants will be invited.

A link to the application form is provided at the bottom of this page. Before applying, please read the eligibility conditions, which are set out in the FAQ below.

We want businesses to grow. We are especially interested in businesses looking to grow through the development or commercialisation of a new product or service which will fit the consumer/customer demands of the next year or two.

Successful growth involves many factors. The programme is built with flexibility. You will need to outline the business objective you are trying to achieve, and propose the type of experience you need to help deliver that. You can also propose the mentor you think would be best placed to deliver that and we will try to secure him or her. In many cases this might be a CEO or MD, however a Financial Director might be better placed for instance in the commercialisation plans of a new product.

The programme is open to participants from across the creative industries. It’s for leaders of small to medium sized enterprises (SME) from any creative sector across the South West, excluding Cornwall. It will be particularly supportive of leaders who are trying to develop or commercialise new products and services.

The category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is made up of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding 50 million euro, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding 43 million euro.

A company must be incorporated and registered with Companies House. It must employ at least one person. Ideally it will be VAT registered, although this is not essential. 

You’ll receive:

• 10 x advice sessions with a proven, experienced creative business leader who has already gone through the things that you’re experiencing right now. 
• 4 x 1-day workshops to make sure you get the most from your mentoring and to connect you with the other mentees and mentors. 
• 2 x one-to-one sessions with a specialist business coach to help you stay on track. 

We expect you to stay with the programme from start to finish. That means giving:

• Two hours of your time each month for mentoring from Feb to Nov 2012 inclusive. 
• Four days of your time for workshops in February, May, September and November 2012. 
• Two hours of your time twice from Feb to Nov 2012 for your business coach 

We will ask you (and your mentor) to sign a simple, short agreement stating your commitment to the programme.

The programme kicks off with a one-day induction workshop on 22 February 2012, with mentoring sessions starting immediately afterwards. Dates for mentoring sessions are agreed directly between you and your mentor.

The programme closes with a one-day wrap-up session on 19 November 2012.

Mentoring can take place at your office, at your mentor’s premises, at a neutral location or even virtually – this is agreed between you on a monthly basis. We recommend at least one session takes place at your business, so that mentors have a chance to see your operation for themselves. Workshops will take places in Exeter or Bristol (depending on your location) and business coaching will take place at your company’s premises.

We will match you with a high-calibre mentor, based on information we get from your application and interview. We’ll do our best to avoid commercial conflicts of interest and you have the right to refuse our choice, though we cannot guarantee our ability to find a suitable alternative.

The mentor is there to listen, guide and help you find solutions. They are not able to provide any additional support beyond the two hour meeting.

Ordinarily this programme would cost £4000 per business. However we’ve been able to secure significant support from the Creative industries iNet and LMAS. As such the total cost of participation will be only £450 per business. This is a contribution towards the cost of running the programme and is not a payment to mentors – mentors are volunteers, giving their time at no cost.

This charge is based on an assumption that participating companies will receive a 50% grant from the Leadership & Management Advisory Service (LMAS). The actual ticket price is £900 however LMAS will repay £450 – leaving each business paying a total of £450. 

To be eligible for the LMAS subsidy, a company must employ at least one full time employee in addition to you. (If you do not meet the LMAS condition, but fit the other conditions, you are still eligible to apply. We will address this situation with you directly.)

Open for applications: 11 November 2011 via a Survey Monkey questionnaire.

Application deadline: Midnight, 9 December 2011

We will notify shortlisted applicants by 20 December 2011 and invite them to attend an interview in early/mid January 2012.

Jaya Chakrabarti, Managing Director, Nameless

Deep Sehgal, Executive Producer, Avatar Productions 

Supported by the Creative Industries iNet and NESTA

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