21 Feb 2022

Applications open for Small Business Mentoring pilot scheme

Spaces available for members for techUK's Small Business Mentoring pilot scheme.

techUK has over 500 SME members and is committed to helping our members facilitate growth, overcome challenges and identify how they fit into the thriving UK tech ecosystem.  

We are now piloting a small business mentoring scheme for techUK members which will provide mentees with an experienced individual who can support you with your next stage of business, whether it i’s to secure more businesses, develop marketing skills, secure your first public sector contract, or international expansion. The mentors will be chosen to match your business situation and growth stage, and can provide support via a high-level, confidential mentoring service.  

There are currently spaces for 10 small business leaders to have a mentor. The mentors are techUK members who have a range of experience in supporting small businesses scale-up across both the private sector and the public sector. Please read the below criteria for further information on whether you can apply.  

Criteria

Mentoring is available for members who at the stage of ready to scale-up and fit the following:

  • No more than 50 employees​ 
  • Turnover less than £10.2m​ 
  • Operating for at least three years 
  • Have not previously been part of a recognised scale-up programme

Format

The mentoring will take the following format: 

  • At least one hour-long session per month between mentor and mentee 
  • Quarterly group sessions between mentor and mentees for peer-to-peer learning and networking 
  • Each meeting will be conducted virtually or in-person, depending on mentors’ and mentees’ preference 
  • Mentoring will last for up to 12 months  

Ahead of a mentor being chosen, potential mentees will be advised to identify their priorities and challenges. At the first mentoring session, mentor and mentee may want to establish priorities for the mentorship, expectations, levels of commitment and the structure of meetings. 

Applications

If you are interested in applying for a mentor, please fill out the application form attached and send to Ed Bevan, Head of SME Engagement. You will then be matched to a mentor based on your company’s growth stage and markets you operate in. The pilot scheme currently has spaces for 10 small businesses as mentees, and if oversubscribed spaces will be offered on a first come first serve basis. If you are unsuccessful, we will work with you to determine other ways to support your business needs.  

Mentees and mentors will be asked to provide insights throughout the process to help shape the ongoing programme and promote the opportunity for others in 2023 by sharing their success stories with the wider membership.   

Mentors 

Sarabjit Singh, Global Sales Director, Keysight Technologies 

Sarabjit Singh is a true business leader of world-class direct sales, channel sales and sales management teams. He is a resilient leader with 25+ years of strategy, commercial excellence, capability building, and operational experience. He is motivated by challenging the status quo, articulating a destination that the majority assumes is not possible and executes by leveraging the ability of a complete organization.  

Sarabjit has a solid track record of success, driving revenue and earnings in both private equity portfolio companies and publicly listed companies. Throughout his career, Sarabjit has achieved exponential sales and margin growth via attention to innovative leadership and robust process, motivating and mentoring/coaching sales leaders to attain higher levels of success. 

Sarabjit has held multiple leadership roles and has expertise in due diligence investigations, acquisitions, expanding market segments and developing vertical markets. He has extensive domestic and international experience in managing small and mid-size enterprises and large organizations globally. 

Sarabjit is an experienced speaker on topics like B2B sales growth, sales best practices and leadership. 

Sarabjit holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science with Distinction from Gulbarga University, India. 

Chris Farthing, Advice Cloud  

Chris is an Ex Public Sector procurement specialist and CEO of Advice Cloud. Advice Cloud are public sector procurement specialists and G-Cloud consultants. Assisting both Public and Private organisations in buying and selling services that include IT, Cloud, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Digital and Professional Services, specialising in G-Cloud and Digital Marketplace. 

For the past six years Chris has been the leading Advice Cloud who are focused on helping the Public Sector buy cloud and digital services. Chris has worked tirelessly with SMEs to help them understand how the UK Public Sector buys its tech and services, with G-Cloud, DOS and other CCS Frameworks a speciality. 

Outside of work, Chris super proud dad, avid music lover and skydiver, who’s passions include good coffee and Tottenham Hotspur. 

 

Ed Bevan

Head of SME Engagement, techUK

Ed is Head of SME Engagement and is responsible for shaping techUK’s proposition to our SMEs across the country, ensuring our policy work, market access activity and services benefit the SME community.

Prior to working at techUK, Ed worked in the at the Department for International Trade, engaging with a variety of businesses, particularly SMEs, to understand the benefits of Free Trade Agreements and act as case studies in press and social media. Ed has also worked in policy and public affairs within the voluntary sector, namely the Alzheimer’s Society and the Men’s Health Forum.

Ed holds a MA in International Relations from Leiden University, and in his spare time enjoys spending time with his son, travelling, and visiting historical sites.

Email:
[email protected]

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