mentor handbook

Foreword There’s no better way to learn how to succeed in business than to learn from mistakes – yours

or someone else’s!

Some of my greatest achievements have come from the lessons I have learned from failure –

I’m sure you would say the same thing. That is why I believe that a mentor can be the single

most important source of advice and guidance that an entrepreneur can access when they are

starting out. A mentor is there to gently point an entrepreneur in the right direction, to have

them learn from the mentor’s mistakes so that they don’t do the same thing and to use the

benefit of experience to help them when things do, inevitably, go a little awry.

It is with that in mind that I want to welcome you to Virgin StartUp and thank you for

volunteering your time to mentor our entrepreneurs.

For a long time now, I have expressed my feeling that there is very little quality support out

there for those people that wish to start their own business. Most entrepreneurs have no idea

where to go for advice and guidance and those that do, find what is out there to be misaligned

with their needs. That’s why I was delighted when the UK Government announced the Start-Up

Loans scheme, providing access to finance at an affordable rate for entrepreneurs – I was so

happy that I couldn’t just sit on the side-lines – I had to get Virgin involved!

So, toward the end of 2013, I visited Box Park, an incubator for small businesses in Shoreditch,

London. There, at the centre of a room crammed with creative, entrepreneurial, inspirational

people, I launched yet another start-up of my own, the not-for-profit Virgin StartUp. Virgin

StartUp exists to provide loan finance and yes, mentoring, to entrepreneurs aged 18 and above,

all free of charge.

Your journey as a Virgin StartUp Mentor is about to begin and I’m thrilled to have you on board.

Thank you for giving your time up to support the cause and I hope you find the experience as

fulfilling as it will be memorable!

Sir Richard Branson

Contents

What is Virgin StartUp?

You’re going to ‘match’ me to an entrepreneur?!

I’m a match! Now what?

Code of Ethics – the really important bit…

The First Meeting

How should I go about mentoring for Virgin?

What are the key messages I should be giving?

How do I report back to you?

What do I do if things go wrong?

I’ve committed my time for a year – but what happens after that?

Training and Support

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Virgin StartUp? Virgin StartUp is a not-for-profit organisation that helps entrepreneurs aged 18-30 in England with the funding, resources and advice they’ll need to make their business idea a reality. Our main focus is to help entrepreneurs get the support they need, to turn their great ideas into successful and sustainable businesses. We help our entrepreneurs with their application for funding by developing their business plan and, once their loan has been approved, providing further support in the form of training, workshops, special offers and peer-to-peer support and networking. The most important bit though, is that all our entrepreneurs are then assigned a Virgin StartUp Mentor. Virgin StartUp Mentors are different. They’re different because they are inspirational, impressive and highly qualified. They’re giving their time away for free to guide an entrepreneur through the difficult start-up phase of the business lifecycle and they’re doing so because they genuinely want to support entrepreneurship. They’re different because they are carefully selected and better matched with their mentees, meaning that their advice and guidance is directed at the businesses in which it will deliver the biggest impact, the most impressive return on their invested time. Virgin StartUp Mentors therefore, will often be the difference between success and failure for one of our start-up business. It can be incredibly useful for a new business to learn from the experiences of someone who has already been there and done it, who can prevent an entrepreneur from making the same mistakes they once made and who can help solve problems and seize opportunities as they arise. In fact, we think this is so important, that committing to regular mentoring sessions is actually a condition of the loan being granted.

You’re going to ‘match’ me to an entrepreneur?!

So, you’ve registered on our website, spoken to a member of our team, perhaps met with us and now, you’re a Virgin StartUp Mentor! We have worked really hard to select an array of inspirational, impressive and highly qualified mentors (yes, you are one of them!) and then taken the time to get to know all of you. We’ve not done this because we’re nice (even though we are!), we’ve done it because we need to make sure that we match the right mentors to each of our entrepreneurs so that all parties concerned are getting the best returns for the time they are investing in the relationship. For this reason, it may take a while before you are matched with one of our entrepreneurs – or it might not! It is literally down to the entrepreneurs we have coming through our programme at any one time as to whether you will be matched; if you are not best placed of all our mentors to add the maximum value to any one business, we won’t waste your time.

How?! You’ll hopefully have gathered by now that we think this bit is really important! We have used all the information you have given us to create your profile on our system, highlighting your specialist areas and, just as importantly, those areas that are not strengths. We consider your personality and approach to business amongst a host of other parameters and make notes on your profile every time we interact with you. All the while, our business advisers do the same for our entrepreneurs. When an entrepreneur is ready for a mentor, we then ask our system to compare the profiles of our mentors, with the profile of our entrepreneur; it then presents us with a number of recommendations. We then review the recommendations and make a final assessment. Then your journey begins!

I’m a match! Now what? We can deploy all the technology we like, interview you every day for a month and yet, when you sit down for your first meeting, you could still find that you simply cannot work with the entrepreneur we have put you with! So, first, we will email you with details of our suggested match and ask that you take the time to call and speak to your potential mentee. Ask them about their business and their plans for the future, or anything else you like for that matter! Point is, that by the end of the phone call, you should be able to tell us whether you feel as though the relationship can work. If you do, be sure to arrange a meeting with your new mentee – and tell us that you have done so!

Code of Ethics – the really important bit…

To ensure that Virgin StartUp Mentors remain revered by entrepreneurs across the country, we expect you to conduct yourself with the highest level of ethics, integrity, accountability and responsibility. It is the primary responsibility of a Virgin StartUp Mentor to provide the best possible service to the client and to act in such a way as to cause no harm to any client. As a Virgin StartUp Mentor, you must subscribe to this Code of Ethics. You should have already read and agreed to this, as it was included in the Mentoring Agreement you signed when you joined the programme. We think it’s so important though, that we have included it again for your continued reference.

A Virgin StartUp Mentor will:

At all times operate within the limits of their own competence, recognise where that competence has the potential to be exceeded and where necessary refer the client either to a more experienced mentor, or support the client in seeking the help of another professional, such as a counsellor, psychotherapist or business/financial advisor

Make suggestions but never impose advice on a client and make it absolutely clear that any final decisions are at the entrepreneurs discretion

Refrain from offering professional advice (including any professional financial advice) or information that may be confidential, misleading or where it is not possible to assess its accuracy

Respect all copyrights, agreements, work, intellectual property and trademarks belonging to their mentees and comply with laws covering such areas

Be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest of either a commercial or emotional nature to arise through the mentoring relationship and deal with them quickly and effectively to ensure there is no detriment to the entrepreneur

Not accept payment of any kind or profit individually from the mentoring interaction, or from interaction with the entrepreneur or entrepreneur’s businesses outside of the mentoring interaction

Not exploit the entrepreneur in any manner, including, but not limited to, financial, sexual or those matters within the professional relationship

Disclose information only where explicitly agreed in writing by the entrepreneur unless the mentor believes that there is convincing evidence of serious danger to the entrepreneur or others if the information is withheld

Obtain written permission from the entrepreneur and Virgin Startup before releasing entrepreneur names as referees

Virgin StartUp Mentors understand that their professional responsibilities continue beyond the termination of any mentoring relationship. These include the following:

Maintenance of agreed confidentiality of all information relating to clients and sponsors

Avoidance of any exploitation (financial or otherwise) of the former relationship Provision of any follow-up which has been agreed Safe and secure maintenance of all related records and data

The First Meeting The first meeting is your opportunity to characterise the rest of the relationship; there are a number of key messages you must relay during the first meeting, not to mention ensuring that both yourself as the mentor and the entrepreneur agree to be bound by, and then sign, the mentor-mentee agreement. The agenda for the first meeting should include:

A discussion of the appropriate boundaries for the relationship; A discussion of the mentor’s obligations under the code of conduct; A discussion of the mentee’s obligations under the mentor-mentee agreement; The signing of the mentor-mentee agreement; A discussion on what both parties want to achieve from the relationship; A discussion focussed on the entrepreneur’s strengths and weaknesses, identifying

opportunities for development in specific areas; A discussion focussed on the mentor’s strengths and weaknesses, identifying areas

where the mentor can really add value to the relationship; Agree the series of steps that must be taken in order to address the areas that the

mentor is not best placed to advise upon; A discussion on the progress of the business so far and the direction in which it is

headed; A discussion on the format and schedule of future mentoring meetings.

Like every relationship, the mentor–mentee relationship needs to mature before it becomes productive. At first your mentee may appear to be hesitant, unresponsive, and unappreciative – usually a manifestation of his/her insecurity about the relationship. The mentee will be more interested in getting to know how “real” you are and how much he/she can trust you. Your mentee’s attitude will gradually improve as he/she realises that you are sincere and there to help, so be patient and don’t try to speed up the process.

Establishing regular contact Establish how you can reach your mentee and vice-versa: by phone or e-mail and be sure to leave the first meeting with the date arranged for the next face-to-face meeting. It might be useful to establish a time and phone number where you can both usually answer calls or make contact. Mentees need encouragement to leave messages on your voicemail to confirm meetings, as well as to rearrange them.

Remember that it is the entrepreneur’s responsibility to schedule the meetings and create the agenda, but you should agree on timekeeping for sessions and make your view on cancellations clear.

Confidentiality Discussions between you and your mentee are considered confidential. Be careful about sensitive personal issues. The mentee’s personal or family life may be difficult to discuss, particularly early in the relationship. Your mentee may be ashamed of poor school performance, family culture and religion, financial problems and so on. It is important not to measure the success of the relationship by the extent of the mentee’s disclosure. It is up to the entrepreneur to decide what information they are happy to share with you. It is at their discretion whether to give you access to personal data such as CVs, business plans and personal development plans.

The code of conduct Each entrepreneur will have received a copy of the mentor code of conduct prior to the meeting and should therefore know what to expect from you. We know that most will probably not have read this however, so it’s really important that you highlight the key passages from the code, including:

- Your commitment to confidentiality, including the fact that you will, at all times, respect the privacy of the entrepreneur and his/her business idea;

- The limits of your ability to give advice and guidance, both in terms of competence and the fact that your suggestions are just that – suggestions. The entrepreneur must feel able to drive toward their own goals.

- Your acceptance that, as the mentor, you must not benefit financially or otherwise from the relationship

You must also explain to your entrepreneur that:

- all guidance provided by you is your own view and not the view of Virgin StartUp, any other Virgin company or other third party;

- in following any suggestions made by you, they do so entirely at their own risk and are not committed to following your advice;

You must also reiterate to your entrepreneur that you are unable to provide them with any kind of financial support. Equally you have committed to not selling, or trying to sell, products or services to the entrepreneurs and must not seek to profit financially from providing the mentoring advice.

The mentor-mentee agreement

It is then critical that you and your new mentee both sign and date a copy of the mentor-mentee agreement prior to formally entering into the mentor-mentee relationship.

How should I go about mentoring for Virgin?

Your role as a Virgin StartUp Mentor is to inspire and empower our entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential. It sounds aspirational, but your role as a mentor is that important. You have the skills and experience to inspire; mentoring is about helping to empower your entrepreneur to do it for themselves. When thinking about how to approach mentoring with Virgin, you should first consider how you can induce the kind of behaviour in the entrepreneur that will allow him/her to get the most out of the relationship. An entrepreneur should:

Be clear about their objectives and agree them with you Arrange, prepare for and lead the meetings with you Take responsibility for their own development plan

Your entrepreneur must be responsible for and control his/her agenda, but you should:

Provide a forum for the entrepreneur to express and discuss their ideas, concerns and understanding of the business situation facing them;

Help entrepreneurs reflect and recognise progress and celebrate success; Encourage entrepreneurs to take responsibility for their own decisions, plans and

actions; Encourage entrepreneurs to learn from mistakes and not to perceive failure as a

negative; Refer entrepreneurs to other sources of information, advice or further support where

appropriate – never stray outside the boundaries of your competence. It is really important that at no stage do you start to impose your own ideas on your entrepreneur. Don’t become too vocal and overshadow your entrepreneur. He/she must feel in control of the relationship. You must also avoid taking on tasks for your entrepreneur, so don’t find yourself saying “leave it with me and I’ll sort it out". While this approach may save time, you will run the risk of creating an unhelpful dependency and, in the long-term will be of little value to the development of the entrepreneur. Your role is to empower the entrepreneur to do things independently.

Don’t try to play the role of teacher, parent, disciplinarian, therapist, babysitter or Santa Claus! Be clear and concise when you offer advice and listen carefully to everything your mentee says. Offer possible solutions without passing judgment; don’t criticise, preach or tell your mentee what they should have done when they come to you with problems. You will best influence through constructive feedback. Effective Virgin StartUp Mentors will therefore:

Establish a basic level of trust Listen carefully and take a genuine interest in the entrepreneur Have empathy, while remaining objective Find out all about the mentee – if he/she is happy to share Be specific - look for concrete areas for improvement Be willing to share experiences, failures and lessons learned Ask open questions and challenge assumptions Offer suggestions and alternative perspectives - but not direct or take decisions Allow the entrepreneur to come to his or her own conclusions Be open, honest, direct and offer constructive feedback

Each mentee you will work with is likely to be completely different from the last, so approach each relationship on that basis. Take the time to get to know your mentee and adjust your behaviour accordingly. Identify the mentee’s interests and take them seriously. You should always set realistic expectations and goals for your mentee, encourage them to achieve those goals and recognise success no matter how small. This will help you to make the connection between the mentees actions of today and their dreams and goals of tomorrow and help them get through the early stages of their life as an entrepreneur, where they are more likely to be feeling lonely and possibly frustrated at their lack of progress. Don’t become discouraged if the mentee isn’t improving or valuing your input; through effective mentoring, you will have a substantial impact on your mentee, even if it’s not always immediately evident.

What are the key messages I should be

giving? Mentoring an entrepreneur is a substantial responsibility. A successful mentoring partnership could well see you form a close relationship with your mentee that will doubtless outlast the formal aspects of the partnership. When you engender this level of respect from your mentee however, it becomes even more important that you consider carefully, the key messages you impart, as they will carry with them a greater weight than you might imagine. Below, we list a number of good messages to convey to your mentees, along with a number that you must avoid.

Good messages for your entrepreneur…

If you never make mistakes, you’ll never make anything! There’s no better way to learn how to succeed in business than to learn from mistakes – yours or someone else’s! The ability to bounce back from a setback is probably the single most important trait an entrepreneurial venture can possess. Your entrepreneur will likely have this characteristic in abundance, but too often today, failure is seen as an entirely negative experience. Encourage your entrepreneur to view failure as a learning experience and don’t forget that your role as a mentor is to help your entrepreneur to learn from your mistakes too!

First impressions are huge – but don’t blow it with the second! In business, creating a favourable impression at the first of customer contact is an absolute imperative – which many companies fail to do despite knowing this fact all too well. What doesn’t seem to be widely understood is that, in a world where so many transactions are

conducted online, the customer’s second impression of a brand can be even more important than the first. The second interaction a customer has with a business is usually when something has gone wrong – and in such a situation, a company has the opportunity to create a lasting impression – so make sure your entrepreneur knows this – and help them to get it right!

You are never too small to export! As a member of the EU and with close ties to the US, not to mention the countries of the Commonwealth, Britain is an excellent place from which to export. The current Government is heavily committed to offering guarantees for export finance and have invested substantially in UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), with the aim of facilitating an ambitious expansion of international trade. Research carried out by economic consultancy CEBR in the aftermath of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games found that 80% of foreign businesses surveyed claimed their perception of the UK as a place to do business had improved as a result of the Games. International trade is also getting easier. Tariffs are now lower than ever, most economies have been liberalised, so there are fewer barriers to cross border trade, freight rates are extremely competitive and the internet has given every company in the world the ability to market itself globally. Symbolic of this trend, was the announcement by the World Trade Organisation at the end of 2013, of the settled terms of its first comprehensive agreement – in the making since the organisation’s inception in 1995 - which could add about $1tn to world trade and will simplify the procedures for doing business across borders. Yet, only around 20% of British-based small and medium-sized businesses export. The EU average is 25% and the global average is some 29%. In general, most non-exporters don’t think they have a naturally exportable product or service and in some instances that may be the case. Yet we believe that in many others, with suitable adaptions deployed, it isn’t – and British businesses will be missing out on foreign orders as a result. More worrying is the fact that many businesses will not even consider exporting as a realistic option. It is important to challenge your mentee in this regard. Could their products/services be exported? Could you support them in looking at which markets to target overseas? If this is unfamiliar territory to you too, then look to refer them to either one of our specialist mentors, or to an organisation that can support your mentee, such as UKTI. Companies that export grow faster and have a greater chance of survival in the long-term than those that don’t. Establishing foreign markets for their products and services early on in a business’ life should be as much of a priority as establishing a market at home.

Find Good People – Then Set Them Free! Your entrepreneur should always be on the lookout for talent – it’s not easy to find energetic and enthusiastic people with the right attitude. Help them look for people who can grow into their work and respond with excitement when given greater responsibility. Jobs, after all, can be learned. They should look for dedication, belief and willingness to go that extra mile for colleagues and customers alike. People feel more connected in smaller companies too, so make sure that your entrepreneur keeps this in mind as the business expands. People should have a rough idea of what everyone else is going through, they should be free to talk – banter is essential! Anonymous, over-formal, regimented surroundings produce mediocre results. Niggling problems either fester or end up on a manager’s desk. No one runs that extra mile. There’s another element to this too – if people aren’t talking to each other, how are they ever going to get ideas? Your entrepreneur must put people together in a way that will have them bouncing ideas off each other, befriending each other and taking care of each other – it’s the only way to ensure that people come up with solutions and great ideas, rather than problems and gripes.

The Future Bottom Line In the last century, companies have increasingly focused on the single objective of profit maximization, driving short-term financial gains at a long-term cost to people and the planet. Business has not accounted for the true cost of its activity and subsequent negative impacts on society and the environment. The bottom lines reported to investors, therefore, do not reflect the true “health” and status of the business. Corporate accountability should move beyond financial gains to include negative and positive contributions to the economy, environment and society – make sure your entrepreneur keeps this in mind at all times.

and what you shouldn’t talk about... Regulated Investment Advice At no time must you undertake the regulated activity of "advising on investments" (or regulated investment advice as it is described in this Handbook) in the UK by way of business

without having authorisation from the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Breach of this restriction is a criminal offence. This section of the Handbook is intended to assist you with identifying the types of advice which could lead to a breach of this restriction. To be regulated investment advice, the advice given must relate to one of the following: shares, corporate/government bonds, units in investment funds, warrants, futures, options, contracts for differences, personal pension schemes, residential mortgages or insurance contracts. You should avoid engaging in conversations or written correspondence with your mentees about the merits of mentees buying, selling or entering into any of the investments in this list. To be regulated investment advice, in addition, the advice must concern a particular investment. Examples of particular investments include the following:

- Shares in a named company, for example, shares in ABC plc.

- A particular insurance policy for a named risk, e.g. a buildings insurance policy issued by ABC Insurer Limited.

However, generic or general advice is not regulated investment advice. Examples of generic advice include the following:

- Advice on classes of investments, for example, the merits of investing in investment trusts as opposed to unit trusts.

- Advice on the merits of investing in Japan rather than Europe.

It is worth noting that advising on current accounts (deposits) offered by specific banks, loans and non-residential mortgages, real estate and physical property capable of having investment potential (for example, works of art), unless that investment is made via an investment fund which invests in the physical property (e.g. an investment fund specialising in investing in art works) is not regulated investment advice. You can access further information about the scope of "advising on investments" in the FSA's Handbook at Chapters 8.24 – 8.31: http://fsahandbook.info/FSA/html/handbook/PERG/8/24

How do I report back to you?

It goes without saying that you will probably prefer to spend your actually mentoring, rather than reporting back to us on what you have been up to! Bear with us though, as a brief summary of your meeting is extremely useful for your mentee, as well as us. As a mentor, you are best placed to be able to judge the progress being made by your entrepreneur – something that we take a keen interest in! We also need to know that mentoring support is actually taking place! The whole process will take no more than 10-15 minutes after every meeting and a copy is automatically sent to your mentee and us via email – we promise, it’s that easy! To log a meeting, visit: https://mentoring.virginstartup.org/mentors/session/new, and log in with the details you provided when you registered with us. Don’t worry, if you have forgotten them, click on the ‘Forgotten Password?’ link and enter your email address, you can reset your password that way. You will be greeted with the following home page.

You can view your mentee’s profile, by clicking on the ‘Partner Profile’ tab across the top of the page, but for now, click on the ‘Partnership Details’ tab, also situated across the top (as indicated below).

There, you should be able to click ‘Add a Meeting’ as indicated above. The following box then pops up for you.

Now just enter the outcomes of your last meeting with your entrepreneur, namely: Date The date of your meeting Progress Since Last Interaction Your general assessment of their progress since you last saw them. Rank this as either Good, Limited or None. Progress Against Business Plan Your general assessment of their progress against their business plan. Rank this as either Good, Limited or None. Impressive Achievements List anything they have told you here that you think is a great achievement – nothing is too small to include! Key Concerns If you have concerns, this is where you record them. Actions Each meeting with your mentee should end with a series of actions that the mentee must take between now and your next meeting – record them here. There is also space for you to add any additional comments you might have. Once you have finished, click ‘Add Meeting’. Yes, that really is everything! At that point, your mentee will automatically get a copy of the meeting notes via email and you will get confirmation on-screen, as below.

It’s really important to keep a consistent record of your meetings using this function, as it helps the mentee chart their progress over the course of the relationship. It also helps us to effectively monitor both the entrepreneur’s progress and the level of support they are receiving.

What do I do if things go wrong?

It is inevitable that some relationships just will not work. Don’t be disheartened if this happens to you - it doesn’t mean you have failed in your role as a mentor! To keep an eye on all of our mentoring relationships, we will also ask you to fill in email feedback forms occasionally during the first year of the relationship. These will not be shared with your mentee and will allow you to raise any additional concerns you may have. These forms, and the short reports mentioned in the last chapter, allow us to monitor all our mentoring relationships – and take quick and effective action where things are not working as well as they could be. This kind of remedial work is essential to an effective mentoring programme - it is a better use of time for all parties concerned to find a new partnership, rather than persist with an ineffective one.

In many instances however, the cause of the breakdown in the relationship is rather simple; if the business isn’t performing that well, your entrepreneur will likely distance him/herself from you, as s/he will see you as a threat to the loan they have received. Keep this in mind when you interact with your entrepreneur. Make it clear that your role is one of a friend and confidante, not a loan manager and be supportive of the entrepreneur’s failings and much as you are of their successes.

I’ve committed my time for a year – but what happens after that?

At the end of the year, it will be necessary to sit down with your entrepreneur and review your relationship. As with every other stage in this process, we are really keen to ensure that the time of all parties is well spent, so if you both feel that the relationship has run its course, then do let us know. However, it’s equally likely that while regular meetings are no longer required, there remain great benefits to the entrepreneur in having you as a mentor and that you will want to continue your involvement as the business grows. In this instance there is no prescription for how often you should see your mentor – the relationship after the first year should develop naturally. Now that your commitments with your original entrepreneur are winding down, it may be that you want to start again with another entrepreneur. If so, get in touch as soon as you can and we will start the whole process again from the beginning!

Training and Support for Virgin StartUp Mentors

As a Virgin StartUp Mentor, you have been selected because you have the right skills and experiences to be of great value to our entrepreneurs – we are confident that you are ready to go from day one! However, you might want to know more about the scheme you are participating in, you may feel that you would like to undertake additional training to enhance your mentoring skills, or you may feel out of your depth at different times in the partnership and be in need of specialist advice from a third party. In every instance we are here to support you. Induction Training Usually held as a break-out session from one of our regular networking events for Virgin StartUp Mentors, these short sessions usually cover the following topics:

Background – who is involved with Virgin StartUp?

How does it work – what does an entrepreneur have to do to apply, what else do Virgin offer them?

How do I fit in to this – the role of a Virgin StartUp Mentor, what to expect when you enter into a mentoring relationship.

Support – what support is available throughout and after the programme for both mentors and entrepreneurs?

Modular Training A selection of useful training modules to top up your knowledge and give you the edge when mentoring. Themes will include:

Questioning capability

Listening, knowing when to and what to relay

Leadership styles – guiding, directing. supporting

Influencing Specialist Support At some point during the course of your mentoring relationship, you will find yourself confronted by a question which you do not have sufficient experience of to answer accurately. Whenever such an instance arises, look to refer your entrepreneur on to a source of specialist

advice and guidance, such as one of our specialist Virgin StartUp Mentors! Visit our website to find out more. As we build up our bank of specialists, you should find someone perfect for every problem – and all are free to use for our entrepreneurs!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get in touch if I have a problem or am seeking advice? Virgin StartUp’s delivery partners in England are the Cavendish Consortium. Please contact the delivery partner in your region in the first instance:

East Michele Stewart Contracts Manager Norfolk & Waveney Enterprise Services Norwich Enterprise Centre, 4B Guildhall Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1JH Email: michele.stewart@nwes.org.uk Mobile: 07810 697671 Tel: 01603 227873

East Midlands Michelle McAreavey Project Manager NBV Enterprise Solutions Enterprise House, Shipstone Business Centre, N Gate, Nottingham NG7 7FN Email: mmcareavey@nbv.co.uk Mobile 07577 131 572 Tel: 0844 887 2568

London Michele Stewart Contracts Manager Norfolk & Waveney Enterprise Services Norwich Enterprise Centre, 4B Guildhall Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1JH Email: michele.stewart@nwes.org.uk Mobile: 07810 697671 Tel: 01603 227873

North East Claire Walker Operations Officer TEDCO Business Support North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC), Wearfield, Enterprise Park East, Sunderland, SR5 2TA Email: cwalker@tedco.org Tel: 01915 166 104 Mobile:

North West Sylvia Philips Chief Executive Bolton Business Ventures 44-46 Lower Bridgeman Street, Bolton, BL2 1DG Email: sp@bbvonline.net Tel: 01204 391400 Mobile:

South East Mel Jones Operations Manager Enterprise First 11 Wellington Street, Aldershot, Hants GU11 1DX Email: melanie.Jones@enterprisefirst.co.uk Tel: 0800 652 6254 Mobile:

South West Tara Gillam Project Manager Business West Business Startup Services, Business West, Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3RA Email: tara.gillam@businesswest.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1275 370867 Mobile: 07765 999296

West Midlands Mike Stanley Project Manager National Enterprise Network

12 Stephenson Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford, MK44 3WJ Email: Mike.Stanley@nationalenterprisenetwork.org Tel: 01234 831623 Mobile: 07702807059

Yorkshire and the Humber Mike Stanley Project Manager National Enterprise Network 12 Stephenson Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford, MK44 3WJ Email: Mike.Stanley@nationalenterprisenetwork.org Tel: 01234 831623 Mobile: 07702807059

If you feel that your concern has not been dealt with appropriately, please contact Virgin StartUp directly: Switchboard: 020 7313 2002 Email: mentoring@virginstartup.org