The lessons from Women's Business Development Association

The five delegates are with Perez Ochieng of Sacoma in Coventry, learning about the work of Women's Business Development Agency. Addressing us is Rachel Doyle, who is a women's enterprise consultant and has a business selling batteries. She described briefly a European project she is working on.

We are discussing mentoring. Although we will get the slides, let me share some points
- consider all parts of life, not just the business
- have flexible times so the client can be considered
- use safe and welcoming venues
- avoid business jargon
- move at a pace set by the client
- empower, build confidence and self-esteem
- gain and maintain two-way trust
- set ground rules

In other words, having coffee together works better than being strictly in an office environment.

CAWEE has its own mentoring tool. Perez Ochieng is also a professional mentor. It could be a good action to share mentoring tools between the group, as mentoring is an important part of the work of an intermediary organisation.

Anyone can become a member of the WBDA forum with resources for women entrepreneurs in UK but also abroad.