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Dorset Business Mentors

Name: Dorset Business Mentors
Address: Dorset Council, Dorchester, DT11XJ, GB
Telephone: +441305221268
Price range: $
Rating: 5

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Dorset Business Mentors connects you with experienced business leaders for confidential, one-to-one support. Start a conversation today.
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Gain clarity, make better decisions and move your business forward with practical, affordable mentoring.

27/10/2026

We're matchmakers.

Well, unofficially anyway.

We're also mentor scouts
Walking, talking mentoring leaflets
Dorset's loudest fans of small businesses

And the people who know which of our 100+ mentors is happiest with a VAT return in front of them.

Now, back to matchmaking. Because we're pretty good at bringing the right two people together.

Like every good matchmaking story, ours starts with the profiles. We ask where your business is now, what's on your mind, and where you want to be in a year. Then we look across our mentors for the person whose experience fits, whether by sector, by the stage you're at, or by the decisions coming up.

What we never do is pair you with whoever happens to be free.

And if the spark isn't there? You tell us, and we find you someone else. No awkwardness here!

Up to 12 months of one-to-one mentoring, for £200, all in.

If you'd like us to find your match, talk to our team.

business matchmaking, business support, solopreneur support, SME growth strategy, Dorset mentor, funded business mentor, Dorset business

21/10/2026

They have a mentor? They must be struggling.

Only people dealing with problems have a mentor… right?

Here's what surprises people.

Most of the owners we work with come to us when things are going well.

The business is growing and the team is bigger than last year. Now the decisions are bigger too, like a second site, a first manager, or a price rise you've put off for twelve months.

None of those are problems. They're the good stuff, and they still keep people up at night.

And if things are harder right now, a mentor is there for those months too. Good year or tough year, you get someone in your corner who has been there before.

We'll match you with one of our 100+ volunteer mentors, for up to 12 months of one-to-one support at a £200 + VAT contribution.

Fancy a chat? Talk to our team and we'll take it from there.

20/10/2026

One decision can change the course of your business.

Hiring your first employee.
Taking on the big contract.
Launching a new campaign.
Saying yes to investment.

Calls like these are hard to make on your own, and harder still when everyone around you has a stake in the answer.

A mentor gives you a confidential sounding board. They're someone who has been there before and helps you think each option through, so you move forward knowing the decision is right for you.

Today we're sharing our film for the first time.

A huge thank you to Julia Macmillan, Mark Hudson, Edward Berry, Kees Diepstraten, Sam Stapley, Dorothy Brown, Tim Willett and Holly Lagden for giving their time and telling the story with us.

If this rings true for you, talk to our team. Mentoring is up to 12 months of one-to-one support for a £200 + VAT.

15/10/2026

So you've grown your business… first hire?! Am I ready?

Can I afford this?
Will I be a good manager?
Will the person I hire even be good?

Before you know it, you've talked yourself out of it before you've even started. Back to the drawing board it is.

See, we could give you a heap of advice right now on the best path to take. But making your first hire is a very personal decision, and it comes down to your timing, cash flow, readiness and growth goals.

So instead, here's one thing we'd share with you today.

What if you had someone alongside you to help you think those decisions through?

Someone to be your sounding board as you make the call, support you through your first hire, and help you grow into a great manager.

And all this for a £200 + VAT contribution, covering up to 12 months of mentoring.

We have 100+ volunteer mentors at Dorset Business Mentors ready to support you. Ready to make stuff happen? Get in touch with our team and we'll match you with your mentor.

business growth, first hire, hiring strategy, business growth mentor, Dorset mentor, funded mentoring, advice & support Dorset, Dorset Council, Dorset SME

13/10/2026

Why does this story sound so familiar?!

Because it's one we've heard from a friend..a colleague..or even yourself.

This is Sarah's story.

It's 11pm and Sarah is still at the kitchen table, going over the same decision for the third week running.

Take on the bigger contract, or keep things steady for another year?

Her team would back her either way, and her partner says do whatever feels right. Beyond them, there's nobody to ask.

Sarah isn't a real person. But a lot of owners will recognise her.

Between 46% and 76% of entrepreneurs say they experience loneliness and pressure, the kind which leads to burnout or to decisions put off for months.

We were as shocked as you.

What Sarah needs isn't more information. She needs someone to think out loud with, someone who has made calls like this before, with nothing to sell her and no stake in her answer.

With someone like this beside you, you make fewer calls in a panic and more with a clear head.

October is National Mentoring Month. If Sarah sounds a bit like you, now's a good time to talk to us.

You get up to 12 months of one-to-one mentoring with one of our 100+ volunteer mentors, for a £200 + VAT contribution. We start with a conversation, then find the right match for you.

mentoring story, mentors, Dorset mentor, business mentor, business owner, Bournemouth & Poole, Dorset Council

08/10/2026

"Success was not just measured in revenue, but in my ability to remain present for my family and kids."

Wise words from Tom Quay. He just sold his business with the support of Dorset Business Mentors. How you may ask? Here’s the tea.

When Tom got in touch with us in 2019, his business was already growing. Scaling further and one day selling the business was the next step. But with little experience of how to get there, he looked for some support.

We matched him with one of our mentors, Derek Hawley.

Their first job together was hiring a Head of Sales. Once the new recruit was in place, Tom asked Derek to keep going.

Six years of monthly meetings followed.

They worked through strategy, leadership and what Tom calls his "Personal Why". Derek kept checking in on his schedule and stress levels, so growth never came at the cost of time with his family.

When the sale process arrived, with all the pressure of due diligence and final negotiations, Derek was one of the few people Tom brought into the loop. Those monthly meetings gave him somewhere to talk openly and stay grounded.

In 2026, Tom sold the business.

In his words, the proudest part was reaching the sale "with my values intact and my family priority preserved."

Derek says mentoring Tom has been "a pleasure and privilege".

Some mentoring relationships last a few months. Others, like Tom and Derek's, grow alongside the business for years.

Read Tom's full story on our website.
https://dorsetbusinessmentors.uk/case-studies

mentoring story, mentee review, business growth, Dorset business, government-funded support, SME business support, business mentoring, growth marketing

06/10/2026

How can you charge only £200 for a whole year of mentoring?! What's the catch?

There isn't one.

👏12 months of 1-2-1 mentoring.
👏Mentor matching (from 100+ mentors)
👏Monthly meetings & ongoing support
👏AND if the fit isn't right, we find you someone else.

So how does the price stay so low?

Every one of our mentors is a volunteer. They're business owners, directors, executives and specialists who give their time because they want to see other businesses do well. Each one has been interviewed, trained and signed up to our Code of Conduct, so you're in experienced hands.

We're also supported by Dorset Council, who see mentoring as a key part of helping local businesses grow.

Your £200 is a contribution towards running the programme. It covers a small part of what mentoring costs to deliver, and works out at less than a glass of w**e a week.

If you've been wondering whether mentoring is worth your time, talk to our team. That’s a conversation worth having.

mentoring, Dorset mentor, business support, Dorset business, business growth, funded business support, Bournemouth & Poole, BCP, Dorset Council

05/06/2026

What difference does mentoring really make?

For the founder of The English Truffle Company, the challenge wasn’t a lack of ideas - it was finding the time to step back and think strategically.

Running a business day to day can make that difficult.

Working with a Dorset Business Mentor created that space - helping to shift focus from immediate demands to long-term direction.

The result?

A clearer path forward, stronger decision-making, and a more sustainable approach to growth.

Sometimes, the biggest value isn’t new information - it’s the chance to think differently.

Read their story:

🔗 https://dorsetbusinessmentors.uk/casestudies/turning-vision-into-sustainable-growth

04/06/2026

Running a business can often feel isolating.
Sometimes, what makes the biggest difference isn’t more information - it’s having someone experienced to talk things through with. 🤝
That’s exactly what our volunteer mentors provide:
✨ Time
✨ Perspective
✨ Honest support when it matters most
For one local business owner, this support has been invaluable - building confidence, offering guidance, and providing a trusted voice along the way.
A huge thank you to every Dorset Business Mentor who gives their time so generously. The difference you make goes far beyond a single conversation. 💙

03/06/2026

What difference does mentoring really make?
When Dorset business owner Kathy started mentoring, she already had strong ambition but needed structure and focus to move forward.
With support from a Dorset Business Mentor, that ambition became a clear, actionable plan. The results?
✨ Greater clarity and direction
✨ More confident decision-making
✨ Stronger foundations for sustainable growth
✨ And importantly… increased revenue as the business gained real traction
Mentoring created the space to step back, think strategically, and put the right structures in place.
That’s the power of experienced people giving their time to support others.
🔗 Read more about Kathy’s journey:
https://dorsetbusinessmentors.uk/casestudies/supporting-ambition-how-mentorship-helped-drive-structure-and-growth

Address

Dorset Council
Dorchester
DT11XJ

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441305221268

Website

http://www.dorsetbusinessmentors.uk/

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