Mentor Insight No. 1 - Mark Snare

Who are our Mentors and what qualifies them to offer support to fellow business owners? Prior to our rebrand to Dorset Business Mentors (from Dormen) this question wasn’t really addressed. With our new website, this Insights page provides the vehicle.

We want you to understand the level of skill and diversity accessible to you. As a program we are unmatched in the UK in fielding over 120 mentors, the advantage to any business owner being not only the best possible mentor fit to suit requirement and character on a 1:1 basis, but also the ability for you to access the vast range of specialist knowledge among the entire cohort as needed.

So we will be introducing individual mentors cumulatively and they will offer some insights into their mentoring relationships.

Our first introduction is with one of our more recent ‘recruits’, Mark Snare.

In the summer of 2019 Mark was introduced to our program by one of our mentors, Simon Devereux. The idea of giving back to the business world appealed to Mark and he joined our fold after a meeting whereupon we invited him to attend our ‘Introduction to Mentoring’ course to understand the mentoring process and accepted way of doing things. Mark is already proving to be a greatly valued mentor to two clients, both of whom volunteered testimonials on the contribution he is making! More on that below, but first a profile and what qualifies or makes Mark suitable for us to field as a mentor?

Profile

Mark has acquired his experience over 24 years at the coal face of business, particularly in marine engineering and e-commerce. In his 20’s, within marine engineering, he specialised in RO desalination and running a manufacturing business that also imported and distributed a patented American piece of equipment. This business was sold to a competitor at a turnover of 400k in 1999. In 2005 he started an e-commerce business taking it through to 650k turnover with a nett of 160k and two members of staff. A lengthy attempt to sell the business was ultimately aborted and the business eventually wound up. Today he is a landlord and semi-retired although involved in the cryptocurrency - blockchain - decentralisation technology world.

Mark is a mentor who really understands what it takes to start and run a small business successfully. His is the kind of coal face experience that can offer real value to others newer to running a business. As a mentor his skills make him particularly suitable for start-ups and the ‘early years’, resilience, growth strategy and sale/exit tactics. He specialises in marketing, most particularly e-commerce and optimised use of the internet. Above all, the fact that he has made mistakes in business and learnt from them means you don’t have to. He will be there to help you see and overcome potential pitfalls, and offer fresh and objective insight to help you grow. This he commits to 100%, going above and beyond what we reasonably expect of our mentors, something his mentees really appreciate. 

We cut now to Mark’s first pairing with a business – in his own words.

My first time mentoring, a new mentor’s perspective….

Hi, I’m Mark, I joined Dorset Business Mentoring in the summer of 2019. After completing my training I was asked by the team if I’d meet Emily and Brad of Prop Options.

We set up a meeting, agreed at 8pm the next day.  That evening I had a look at Prop Options website - it all looked stylish, fashionable, cleanly designed and really rather great. My first thought was “what could I possibly add?”

The next evening, I set out for Prop Options HQ. I arrived, went in and chatted easily for a while. Brad and Emily’s incredibly friendly dog came over and said hello, so the evening had a relaxed start. We sat round the table and got to know each other for a while, sharing our respective business exploits and adventures. Brad had worked for Sunseeker so we had lots of common ground. Then we really got stuck into the Prop Options journey and how they had got to where they were.

Then I told them how I saw matters, I think I went on for a while! I find business exciting, I love the dynamic nature of it all, the cut and thrust. I’m also enthused by young people willing to give things ago, so yes, I’m pretty sure I gushed a bit and lost track of time. When we paused Brad said “I can’t believe there’s someone sat at my table talking like that.

My internal monologue instantly chirped into life “Ooooh….no…..Mark, what have you done? You’ve overreached yourself again age 46! These young people don’t need you waffling on, they need ‘professional’ support, this is going to take some explaining to Teresa at Dorset Business Mentors AND she knows your Aunt, well done!!” I’m sure the look on my face reflected exactly what just ran through my head at speed….

Er, what do I do now? This could be awkward…

However, Brad said something along the lines of “This is exactly what I needed to hear, most people are telling us to be careful and here you are saying there is demand and you should go for it and charge forwards!!” A big smile appeared across Brad’s face.

Phew!! and OK THEN!!! My internal doubt monster was silenced, now I can really relax and shoot from the hip. Since our first meeting, I have wholeheartedly enjoyed being privy to the Prop Options story and the roller-coaster ride that is small business manoeuvres. The whole experience has given me confidence that my own business ventures and all the trial and error that I’ve crunched through is very typical and that I can help those going through it for themselves with the perspective I’ve gained.    

Now we use WhatsApp to discuss matters on an almost daily basis, and I have certainly learned lots, particularly through this current global pandemic and how the U.K. government is supporting the businesses that do so much to support the country in normal times. I genuinely look forward to our meetings; the growth, the excitement, the energy is palpable, and it’s just a brilliant thing to be around. I simply try to be the mentor that I would have wanted, but was too busy to find.

I have no doubt that Brad and Emily would still be a success without me or Dorset Business Mentors, but I also have no doubt that a mentor can add a fast forward button and help the journey be faster and smoother. That is the power of mentoring, the second opinion from someone who is remote and can see in from afar, and who has been there themselves. That can add a lot of value.

If you have business experience and would like to be a mentor then join in, it is one of the most rewarding things I have done.  Or, if you are a business owner, I hope I’ve allayed any fears that a mentor might be judgemental. It’s not that way at all. We’re just delighted if we can help you achieve what you need that little bit faster and with fewer bumps! You can meet PropOptions here on our Case Studies page and hear their perspective!

Mark Snare - Dorset Business Mentor