Are you running a small business in Kenya? Have you been in business for at least three years, and are you looking for expert assistance to help you grow your customer base or improve your operations at a rate that you can afford? Or do you work with small businesses in Kenya to provide them with business financing or business development support, either on a commercial or a not-for-profit basis?

Skills Venture provides tailored, one-to-one mentoring support to Kenyan small businesses at prices far below those charged by large commercial firms. Mentoring support is provided by business experts from the UK, USA and elsewhere, who are in Kenya on assignments lasting for between five days and six months.

What we offer

Skills Venture organises short-term mentoring assignments in Kenya for global business people, including independent professionals from the USA and top-performing employees of blue chip companies in the United Kingdom. Each mentor works with between two and eight small businesses in Kenya, seeing each SME client on a regular basis to provide mentoring support and boost their own capacity in areas that are of particular concern or relevance to the individual company. These include marketing, financial planning, or product development, among others.

Our mentors have at least five years' experience of working for world-class organisations in the financial services, business consulting, marketing, retail or manufacturing sectors. They are carefully selected to ensure that they bring not only excellent professional skills and expertise to bear, but also have superior interpersonal 'soft' skills. They are fully inducted both before and after their arrival in Kenya and enjoy the support of a team of trained Kenyan facilitators employed by Skills Venture. If both sides wish, the relationship can continue afterwards through virtual (online) mentoring.

The costs of the scheme are mainly met by fees charged to the consultant and/or their employer. However, a nominal fee is also charged to SME clients for access to mentoring services. For organisations that are considering paying this fee on behalf of their clients, a bulk purchasing discount scheme is available.

How entrepreneurs benefit

A day spent with our mentors on a regular basis will give clients an opportunity to escape the daily routine, and to think strategically without impediment. Mentoring days include free transport if needed, and lunch and other refreshments.

We provide entrepreneurs with mentoring and advice that is tailored to their own individual circumstances, and focuses both on practical issues and on ensuring that they acquire valuable new skills at the same time. We do not provide off-the-peg, generic classroom training that is difficult to put into practice. After a rigorous needs analysis, our mentors will provide support and advice in areas that might include:

- How to plan for business growth, and how to access finance to achieve this
- Surviving and thriving in a competitive environment by identifying and pursuing the right target market
- Managing the organisation, people and assets efficiently to achieve maximum performance

Entrepreneurs will have several day-long sessions with their identified mentors, depending on the length of the mentor's assignment. In addition to three hours of one-to-one mentoring, each day will include a two-hour group seminar focused on a particular business issue that will have been identified by entrepreneurs as being of especial interest and relevance. Entrepreneurs will also have a chance to network with international and Kenyan colleagues over lunch and during coffee breaks, providing an invaluable opportunity to share best practice and to make valuable connections with suppliers and clients.

Click here to register your interest in receiving mentoring support from Skills Venture.