This report looks at how businesses in the creative sector view mentoring.

Key Findings

• The majority of creative businesses are either working with or would like to work with a mentor in the future
• They rate the usefulness of advice given by mentors above advice from non–executive directors and lawyers and equal to advice given from business owners’ families
• Many companies wanting to find a mentor don’t know how to go about it
• There is a perception that mentoring is best used at the startup phase or when businesses are struggling

The mission for Nesta’s Creative Business Mentor Network is to encourage the widespread take-up of volunteer mentoring across the creative sector. To this end, we’ve surveyed businesses to find out their views on mentoring and what value mentors can bring to their businesses.

This is part of a wider study being carried out by BOP Consulting to measure the impact of the Network. The next report is planned for Spring 2014 and will look at the impact of mentoring on a group of creative businesses participating in the Network.