A business mentor and her mentee receive top awards after working together to help a women's health business add £1m to its bottom line against the odds

The work of a business mentor from Bournemouth University and her mentee have been recognised at the National Mentoring Matters Awards 2024.

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova supported Rachel Rowntree (pictured left), the commercial director of Hampshire-based chemical-free feminine intimacy brand Yes, yes, yes.

Both received awards for the outstanding work they did together, which saw the women's health company grow by 30%, adding £1.1 million to the bottom line in 2023.

Svetla, who is deputy head of department in people and organisations at the university, worked with Rachel shortly after Rachel's diagnosis for ADHD, as a volunteer as part of the government-backed Help to Grow: Management Course and was named the best mentor after being nominated by Rachel.

Rachel said:

"Svetla's coaching offered me the perfect mix of mentoring and advice, while allowing me to also develop my own solutions.

"Her style suited me perfectly and the combination of guidance and self-development from Svetla, allowed me to flourish both personally and professionally. This development was reflected in our company results."

Svetla's own professional experience spans a variety of industries. They include manufacturing, hospitality, transport, construction, real estate, medical services and alternative energy sources, where she set up and managed departments including PR and marketing and research and development.

Rachel won the mentor's choice award, after being nominated by Svetla.

Svetla said:

"Rachel sets an inspiring example as a neurodiverse woman and a commercial director of a middle-size business, who successfully completed the Help to Grow: Management course and led the business team to a remarkable 30% growth in 2023, while dealing with a new diagnosis of ADHD and the demands of a busy professional and family life.

"Rachel defied the limitations of her condition and embraced the opportunities provided by the mentoring programme to achieve personal growth and a new-found confidence as a senior-level manager and realise quantifiable change in business terms. A true example of the contribution of Help to Grow to diversity and inclusivity."

Emma Jones, CBE, founder of small business support platform Enterprise Nation, said:

"It's brilliant and so important to see the outstanding contribution that dedicated mentors like Svetla can have on businesses like Yes, yes, yes. The nominations and the awards for these two remarkable women demonstrate the clear impact mentoring can have on the economy, helping businesses to grow and thrive.

"Since the launch of the voluntary mentoring scheme, we've recruited thousands of experienced mentors who give up their time and energy to support the next generation of ambitious, growing businesses that go on the Help to Grow: Management Course.

"The course and its mentors have become an important stepping stone to business success, playing a critical role by increasing resilience."

The Help to Grow: Management Course offers senior business leaders 50 hours of leadership and management training across 12 weeks, with the government covering 90% of the costs involved. They each receive one-to-one support from an experienced and rated business mentor. Training is delivered via a national network of over 50 business schools.

Each participant is matched with a voluntary business mentor via the online Help to Grow: Management Course platform. A consortium delivers the mentoring element of the course.

Led by business support group Newable and including Enterprise Nation and the Association of Business Mentors, the consortium was appointed by the government to develop a national network of business leaders and experts who will share their skills and experience with firms on the practical management training course.    

ENDS

About Newable    

Newable is the leading provider of Money, Advice and Workspace to SMEs. Now employing over 1,000 professional staff, it has grown to become a national business with a presence from Aberdeen to Brighton, serving over 43,000 client companies each year. 

About Enterprise Nation    

Enterprise Nation is a business support platform and provider delivering support to more than 50,000 small businesses every month. Its aim is to help people turn their good ideas into great businesses through expert advice (including a comprehensive resources library), events, acceleration support and networking.  

Enterprise Nation was founded in 2005 by British entrepreneur Emma Jones CBE, also co-founder of national enterprise campaign StartUp Britain. She is author of best-selling business books and is a frequently called-on and regular media commentator on a range of issues which affect the UK's growing number of SMEs. 

About the Association of Business Mentors   

The Association of Business Mentors (ABM) is the UK's leading professional body supporting the business mentor and coach sector while raising the profile of the value of business mentoring to small business owners.