Bristol business expert named UK’s most inspirational mentor

A business expert from Bristol, who helps founders become happier and healthier, has been named as the UK's most inspirational mentor at the National Mentoring Matters Awards 2024 for the outstanding work he does to help businesses to unlock their growth potential.

Former teacher Olly Reid co-founded his coaching business HUM4NS two and a half years ago because he wanted to share his passion and skills with ambitious business founders that were looking to grow and flourish.

In 2023, he also enlisted as a volunteer mentor on the Help to Grow: Management course and was nominated for the award by one of his happy mentees.

His work was recognised earlier this month, at national awards where he was one of seven mentors rewarded for their contribution to UK growth. Olly said:

"When I was thirteen years old a careers adviser burst out laughing at the idea of me becoming a teacher. They told me that the only thing I'd ever be good at was sport and I promised in that moment that I'd dedicate my career to building people up rather than knocking them down.

"Winning the Most Inspirational Mentor Award is incredible recognition for the journey that I've been on since that day and I feel extremely proud and privileged to have won this award, but more importantly to have positively contributed to the lives of others through teaching, coaching and mentoring."

"Behind every business is a human. If the human isn't on form, the business won't be either. My approach to coaching and mentoring puts the individual at the heart, helping them to overcome barriers, belief systems and inner critics."

HUM4NS is also growing. Olly added:

"HUM4NS started with a simple quest - to help business owners and employees to become happier, healthier, smarter and kinder. Through coaching, workshops, inspirational talks and motivational challenges, we've done this in abundance.

"Now a multi-award winning organisation, we're a small business with a huge heart and incredible impact on those we support, so we're excited to amplify our reach over the coming months. Growing our team, considering investment/funding for growth and launching new products and services that reach both a B2B and B2C audience are all part of the plan. Since the day we launched, we committed to being Brave, Empowering, Inspiring, Nurturing and Giving or HUM4NBEINGS as we like to call it.

"The next stage of our adventure will require great bravery as all entrepreneurial endeavours do, but armed with the connections and support provided by the Help to Grow, Enterprise Nation and ABM communities, we're ready to take a leap into the unknown."

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 Olly 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 s 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.