Entrust provides a mentoring service to North East companies who obtain loans from two funds, the Regional Enterprise Loan Fund and the North East Investment Fund 3, the latter in a programme known as Money with Management.

 

The Money with Management (MWM) programme is managed by Entrust for the North East Investment Fund 3 / 3b (NEIF3).  NEIF3 provides loans through NEL Fund Managers to North East SMEs and these businesses take part in the MWM programme. It is a term of the loan that investees work with a business mentor.

 

Entrust manages the programme that enables businesses to access a broad range of mentoring and business skills.

 

Some business owners say “it can be lonely at the top” and a mentor acts as someone to bounce ideas off and to confide in on a confidential basis.

Mentoring can improve a person and through that, a business.

 

The programme involves Entrust visiting the recipient of the loan, learning about the business and selecting a useful mentor to work with the business. The company is involved in the mentor selection process that is based on the mentor’s skill sets and industry background.

 

The mentors are experienced business people with knowledge to assist business. Mentors offer guidance, support, encouragement, signposting and networking. They challenge constructively and act as a useful sounding board.

 

A company can change mentor. Many companies retain their original  mentor but  a few companies have chosen to change to a mentor with different skill sets as the business develops.

 

We have made over 100 mentoring matches and we have case studies of companies who are delighted with their mentor. These studies and contacts are available on request.

 

If you would like to learn more about the Money with Management programme, please contact : Sarah Thorpe on 0191 244 4000 or email: s.thorpe@entrust.co.uk