Mentorship and Coaching – Getting it Right for Your Company

Why should you look for a mentor for your new business? Martin Horne, co-founder of the financial consulting company the Finelyne Group, maintains that businesses need coaches to help them make their products commercially successful. If it’s something that the CEOs of Google and Apple both use today, then start-ups shouldn’t turn up their noses either!

Martin moderated the April 13 session of TON, graciously hosted by Gowling’s and attended by 50 or more young company CEOs, ambitious start-ups, established companies and more. The two panellists, Bruce Lazenby, TEC Chair and Denis Colbourne, President and CEO of DC-Technologies Ltd., have both been mentors and advisors to different companies for many years. Here now, the top tips from the discussion.

How should you choose your board?

Experienced, challenging and someone not afraid to ask you the tough questions is what you should be looking for. Someone who can tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. “If you are really, really comfortable with your mentor,” says Bruce, “it’s probably the wrong person.”

(more…)