Business Mentoring Scheme

"Our scale up mentor has had a tangible impact on our business through encouraging us to push far outside our comfort zone.  We signed up for a big trade show and within the next few days will be on the other side of a new experience. Hopefully, with hundreds of new leads to follow."

"I attended the Digital Greenhouse's Starting Up Saturday event earlier this year and it was an excellent experience for me, it helped me define the size and scope of my business and helped me create a plan for the future. The subsequent mentorship scheme that they provided has been absolutely transformative. It allowed me to refine my idea into something focused, realistic and incredibly practical. Within just a few months I've been able to soft launch and am already seeing very exciting results. I would recommend these programs for anyone interested in creating or developing their own start-up ideas."

"Being part of the scale up business mentoring scheme has been invaluable.  It's offered us the opportunity to take a step back and objectively review our development plans with the valued input and support of industry leaders.  In doing so, we've become far more aware of which steps we should take to prioritise our growth."

You can hear more about Dan's mentoring experience in this podcast with Amanda Eulenkamp at the Guernsey Press.  Dan talks about his health journey, his business journey, his mission to help us sleep better, and how the Digital Greenhouse is helping him realise that vision.

Listen now

“Our mentor has shared lots of valuable insights and ideas from his own experiences, which have helped us evaluate our current position and understand where best to focus our efforts.

As an example, in a short space of time, we’ve already benefited from him emphasising the importance of focussing on and incorporating the right KPIs – and being disciplined about referring to them. This has really helped us keep focussed on the important, long-term goals we have, rather than just responding to the every-day minutiae that can easily eat up time.”

“Our mentor has been a great sounding board as we strategise scaling our business. As Innovest is creating solutions at the cutting edge of the newly evolving field of impact measurement and management, we have benefitted from Blenheim Chilcot’s breadth of experience with bringing new technology and other innovative offerings to market.”

"The business mentoring scheme was a life and business changing experience for me. Without meeting my mentor, I would be still in my old ways in my business and I would never start thinking big and in a different way. It gave me so much more than improving my business. It helped me to get to know myself more and what I am really capable of achieving. Success is 5% Strategy and 95% Mindset and I got help with both through the mentorship programme."

A professional investor in early-stage digital tech businesses. Marc has a passion for helping founders on their business journeys and a wealth of experience building businesses, including:

• Early stage development
• E-commerce
• Marketing / communicating with the customer
• Branding
• Raising finance / investment
• Pitching
• Go-to-market strategy

A great match for ambitious entrepreneurs at early-stage development, particularly in the digital space.

Sarah has extensive experience in e-commerce and building businesses.  Keen to help mentees overcome struggles of starting a new business, her range of venture building skills include: 

• Early stage development
• Product development
• Marketing and communicating with the customer
• Branding, design and advertising 

Perfect match for early stage startups, especially those with a focus in fashion, design or e-commerce areas. 

Paul has a background in law with a demonstrated history of building and leading international teams.  As a venture capitalist, his main focus is in early stage startups, especially Cyber, FinTech and Legal Tech.  Paul’s venture building experience includes: 

• Early stage business development
• Operations, including building teams and human resources
• Raising finance
• Pitching

Paul would be a great match for tech startups looking to scale. 

Tom spent ten years working in private equity fund administration locally and qualifying as a Chartered Secretary before moving into yachting and completing in Msc in Corporate Governance.  Tom co-founded Oceanskies & Oceanskies Crew in 2013 and in 2020 led the initiative to create Viking Crew as a joint venture.  More recently, he has been heavily involved in creating digital platforms for the marine industry and transitioning from service business to SaaS.  Tom’s venture building experience includes: 

• Corporate governance
• Accounting
• Digital products and pricing
• Go-to-market strategy

With a very keen interest in creating scalable digital platforms, Tom would welcome a match with startups who need help going to market.

Simon is a strategy consultant with an MBA.  His experience in IT and operations means that he can help startups make informed decisions about the technology needed for digital first businesses.  Simon can also advise on the use of data - how to manage, use, report and visualise it.  Simon is able to help organisations manage their portfolio of projects and work from the organisation to individuals.  His venture building experience includes:

• Early stage development
• Product development
• Software / app development
• Testing MVPs
• Building teams and human resources

Simon would welcome a match with startups, charities or NPOs who would like to build a digital-first venture.

Aaron founded his own creative business, www.digitalmotionworkshop.com, three years ago, having gained extensive experience in advertising, design and marketing industries. Previous employers include Twitter, ITV, Sky Entertainment & News, New Scientist and Healthspan, with areas of expertise ranging from social media activation and design, customer engagement and brand strategy. Aaron’s venture building experience includes:

• Pitching
• Branding
• Marketing
• Business strategy

Aaron would be a good match for any business (especially creative ones) looking to extend their reach and grow. 

One of Guernsey’s leading PR professionals, Brooke has 20 years of experience working with top brands and advising on all aspects of strategic communications – she is a big-picture thinker who will deliver impactful ideas and effective, structured campaigns. Brooke boasts a strong local industry-wide and London PR network.  Her venture building experience includes:

• Marketing / communicating with the customer
• Building teams and human resources
• Pitching
• Business strategy

Brooke would be a good match for anyone looking to grow their audience and extend the reach of their business.

Daniela has experience running her own business, leading and managing people, working in education, aviation, and currently working for an off-shore fund management firm. She has an MBA in business administration from Durham University Business School, with areas of interest ranging from marketing and branding, to management consultancy and technology innovation. Her venture building experience includes:

• Communicating with the customer
• Operations management
• Building teams

Daniela would be a good match for establishing businesses looking to extend their reach and grow.

Dom is an experienced company director and digital marketing professional with over 20 years of practical knowledge of growing businesses. His venture building experience includes:

• Early stage business development
• Software / app development
• Branding and web design
• Digital marketing and e-commerce

Ideal match for startups at the ideas stage and fledgling businesses with their first few customers.  

Kai has a long standing self employed background in tourism, working with international and local businesses.  He also has extensive experience in the finance industry, with a newly established Broker business as his current venture.  Kai’s venture building experience includes:

• Early stage development
• Product development 
• Marketing
• Communicating with customers

Perfect match for startups who are looking to develop their offering or who are expanding into new areas.

Rollo has 20 years of marketing and business development experience and describes himself as the ‘Swiss-army knife’ of marketing.  His venture building experience includes: 

• Marketing strategy & planning
• Product development
• Branding
• Sustainability
• Go-to-market strategy

Perfect match for startups at the ideas stage and fledgling businesses with their first few customers. 

Simon has extensive experience as a venture capitalist and in building online businesses.  Keen to help mentees develop their business skills, his range of venture building skills include: 

• Software/app development
• E-commerce
• Building teams & human resources
• Raising-finance
• Pitching

Perfect match for startups at any stage of growth. 

A driven professional with 18 years’ experience, Gez holds a BA Economics and MBA from leading UK universities. He has strong relationship and business skills that resonate with C-suite. His venture building experience includes:

• Customer development, particularly B2B
• Business strategy
• Raising finance / investment

Gez would be a good match for start-ups looking for help with their early stage development.