Business Mentors NZ

About Business Mentors

Business Mentors New Zealand was founded in 1991 to match experienced business professionals (our mentors) with small business owners.

After more than 30 years we are still the only independent national business mentoring service provider to the small business sector in New Zealand.

We have provided business support for over 80,000 existing small business owners and not-for-profit executives.

But it’s not a one-size-fits all approach. Through our extensive pool of 1,500 mentors we can match you with the right expertise to suit your needs.

As a client (or Mentee) of BMNZ, you’ll benefit from the experience and knowledge of your mentor to empower you to be a better business person, and to navigate the inevitable challenges you face in today’s competitive environment.

REGISTER FOR A MENTOR

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Our Services

Small Businesses

Small Business

Small Business

Match up with an experienced small business mentor who will help you grow. Boost your productivity and progress, and smash those business goals.

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Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise

Social enterprise mentoring from someone with experience could give you a fresh perspective, and help you boost your not-for-profit.

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Mentors

Mentors

Already overcome your business challenges and reached every goal? If you’re ready to pay your experience, perspective, and expertise forward, you could be our next mentor.

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Whether you’re early or well established in your business journey…

REGISTER FOR A MENTOR

Ready to gift your expertise to NZ small businesses?

BECOME A MENTOR

Who is Mentoring for?

You will benefit from mentoring if you are an existing business owner, startup founder, or not-for-profit executive who is ready to undergo at least 12 months of business mentoring. You are eligible if:

You are a New Zealand resident and own a small business or social enterprise.
You are ready to listen to and receive constructive feedback (related to you and your business) that may challenge you at times.
You are motivated and determined to grow your business.
You can commit to the mentoring relationship, with open and honest communication, to ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner.

READ OUR CASE STUDIES

How does Mentoring work?

You can complete your registration right here on our website.

We’ll contact you to discuss your specific needs and then match you with an experienced Business Mentor.

For a small one-off registration fee ($295 + GST), you will start a 12 months mentoring journey to grow your business and upskill you as a business owner. It’s an investment that can pay itself back many times over.

Want to learn more before committing? Download the guide on how a Mentor can support you on your business journey.

FIND YOUR MENTOR

What makes a good Mentor?

You are well on the way on your own business journey.

You know the prizes and pitfalls, and are ready to pay your experience forward to NZ’s small business community by gifting your time, knowledge and experience as a Business Mentor.

If you think you have what it takes to be a Business Mentor, apply using the link below and one of our team will be in touch.

BECOME A MENTOR

Testimonial

Elise Sterback

Basement Theatre

"It was so valuable for me to have a regular sounding board and an outside eye to our business. In our industry, we get quite stuck interacting with the same networks, and it was very refreshing to learn how things are done in other sectors. It was also very positive for me to feel like I was working on my own professional development."

Sebastian Mackay

The Better Comms Co

"Jung Chun has taught me more about business than I ever thought I'd need to know. He's helped me refine my vision, discover my niche and inform my decision-making process while allowing me to make my own mistakes and come to my own conclusions. Jung taught me a lot about the intersection between business and life, which has been hugely influential. Business Mentors did an amazing job placing us together."

Marc Taylor

Taylor & Sons Drainage Ltd

"I think it is important for new business owners to seek help from people who already have experience at running a business. I have been a tradesman for 26 years, but I was clueless about running a trades business. Getting a business mentor has given me clarity and helped me move in the right direction."

Alison Johnson

Sphaera Ltd

"Our mentor has been amazing, hitting the ground running with us at a critical time in our business. She is helpful, responsive and knowledgeable. We are very grateful to have access to this service."

Jeff Cameron

Rage Against Chemicals

“Peter has been excellent as a mentor. He has great experience, is patient, knowledgeable, level headed, organised and professional. His business skills, open-mindedness, and hard truths have been invaluable. He's a top guy and I consider myself lucky and privileged to have had him as a mentor.”

Richard Conway

PureSEO - The Search Engine Specialists

"I had two mentors support me when I first started my business, they helped me during the stressful early years. That's why I am a strong advocate of having a business mentor for your business. My company wouldn't be as successful as it is today without their help."

Josie Askin

Spring Coaching Ltd

“Thank you to current and upcoming mentors for sharing your wisdom and experience. As a mentoree, I am so appreciative of the valuable support that I receive from my mentor. I feel incredibly lucky with her generosity of time, knowledge and support. I regularly recommend this wonderful service to others.”

Margot Tindall

Trailer World Ltd

"Scott Russ is the best thing to happen to Trailer World in years!!! He is perfect for us, quiet but determined. Generous but strong. We LOVE him.
We’ve achieved far more, feel more confident, supported, encouraged.
Thanks so much but you can’t have him back."

Blog Feed

Do you serve customers, clients or guests? Words matter

Running a small business means making every decision count, even in the language you use day-to-day. The words you choose to talk about your customers do more than fill space on your website or invoices; they shape how your team thinks, how your business is perceived, and, ultimately, how your bottom line performs.

Terminology can drive performance

The way you talk inside your business can affect ...

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Get cybersecurity savvy

Small businesses are now the primary target for cybercriminals. In New Zealand, nearly half of all cybercrimes target small businesses, and one in three small businesses has been attacked. The latest UK research shows their rate as 42%. How prepared are you?Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology; it’s about protecting your business’s reputation, your customers’ trust, and your financial stabili...

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Pedals in motion: How a Business Mentor helped Liam Harrison ride the road to growth

When Liam Harrison launched Pedals Couriers in Dunedin in 2022, he wasn't just starting a business, he was offering a smarter way to move. His idea was as simple as it was revolutionary: same-day, urgent courier deliveries via electric cargo bikes. With the city gridlocked by roadworks and bracing for the upheaval of a new hospital development, Liam saw an opportunity to do things differently.

Wha...

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