SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By David Parkinson  Strategic HR Mentor, Mentors.ie

Mentors.ie is a unique resource when it comes to starting businesses. They offer qualified mentors with a rich history of experience and expertise.  They can serve as board members for your business. It is also possible to find mentors to advise you. Their experience allows you to overcome challenges that your business is experiencing currently.

There are veteran executive mentors at Mentors.ie. If you are looking for non-executive mentors, you will find them as well. These are individuals who have worked in diverse fields and industries. Their experience will prove to be invaluable to your business objectives. Non-executive professionals have seen changes in many different industries. Depending on how you want your mentor to serve, you will find this expertise a good tool for modeling your business.

Consultants with Experience

You may want a non-executive expert to consult your business. The mentors at Mentors.ie offer this sort of expertise. It doesn’t matter, what type of business or company you have. It is possible to make changes that are effective. Mentors use both their experience and knowledge of individual fields to help you.

Business Planning Experts

Start-up businesses can benefit from business planning techniques. Mentors offer these businesses what they need when it comes to selecting a model. Knowing what methods have worked in the past is important. Mentors have years of experience to draw from as they advise you.

Knowledge of Successful Strategies

Strategy is essential whether you are starting a business or re-organizing an existing one. Your strategy doesn’t only speak to the public. It also inspires your employees to work efficiently. Mentors from Mentors.ie can help you to define a successful strategy. They can also re-define strategy ideas to better fit your business model.

Businesses will find a variety of non-executive mentors at Mentors.ie. Although these individuals have not worked as executive, they have vast professional experience. The mentors provided by Mentors.ie will fit well with your business goals. They also compliment the leadership that already exists. The vision and experience that mentors provide are resources that can lead to success.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Barry Brennan, Marketing and Business Development Mentor, Mentors.ie

It doesn’t matter, what industry or field your business is in. There are a variety of factors that impact success. Marketing is certainly one of the primary ways to grow your business. This tool is used to attract new customers, as well as, to connect with existing customers. It is impossible to provide the needs of customers without understanding them.

News related to your individual field is important. Current stories can show you trends that matter to your customer base. The news is a good resource for finding out what the competition is up to. At the same time, you can modify your marketing campaigns by learning from the mistakes of similar companies. Products are most effective when they answer a legitimate need or desire. News trends will assist you to supplying the best products in your field.

Subscribe to Newsletters

Newsletters from good resources in your field can be helpful. This is a way to find out about top-products in certain areas. Knowing what similar businesses are doing is a great way to target your own marketing campaigns. These are usually something informative in virtually every credible newsletter source.

Research Product Sites

The internet has made competition more and more potent. This medium has also allowed businesses to know what their competitors are up to. A good news source for your field is going to be found through product sites. Products and services in your industry or area of expertise are often changing. The more that you learn from news on these issues, the better you are able to market to your base.

Make Necessary Changes

The most successful businesses these days are those that are flexible. They are willing to shed marketing processes that don’t work. These are also businesses that are in touch with their customers. Making necessary changes or even adjusting methods can significantly impact your productivity. You can learn what has worked in your field by staying abreast of current happenings.

Processing the news in your field or industry doesn’t mean totally re-vamping your business model. This is an avenue, however, to make your operations better. Some will find that re-designing their websites is necessary. Others will make changes to their webstores. Marketing is not simply about advertising products and services. It is about steering customers to you and making the shopping process pleasurable.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Tony Ritchie, Management Mentor, Mentors.ie

It’s virtually impossible to place a value on expertise. This is especially true when it comes to the expertise of many individuals. These types of individuals can be found at Mentor.ie. Each mentor offers clients their work experience and detailed expertise in diverse fields and industries. The mentors here are great resources when it comes to business set-ups.

You can also utilize Mentor.ie for an existing business. The goal of each business or company is to be productive and to succeed in their field. Having access to mentors to steer and smooth this process is an asset. Mentor.ie offers veteran executives and non-executives with experience to share with businesses. They are equipped to lead you to the success that you desire. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that Mentor.ie can help you.

Advice about Business

Mentor.ie mentors are able to provide businesses with advice. This type of access is very valuable no matter what type of business you have. Advice can be used to stabilize troubling situations. At the same time, you can use this information to better approach your business objectives.

Fine Tune Strategy

A business’ strategy is what it uses to achieve goals. A winning strategy is one that is proven to have worked in the past. Mentors are experienced with these types of strategies. They can help you to fine-tune your strategy if it has not been clearly defined. Employees of your business need this clarification in order to perform efficiently.

Fill Chairperson Seats

Every relevant business model includes a board of directors. You will need to find competent individuals to fill your roles here. Mentor.ie provides the right people for this work. They can fill seats like Chairpersons, Non-Executive Directors, and Consultants. Mentor.ie takes the challenge out of searching to fill roles.

A mentor can be one of the most valuable relationships in life. This is the case both personally and professionally. Mentor.ie provides skilled executives and non-executives through their staff. These mentors offer years of experience and expertise when it comes to corporate governance. You will be able to tailor your business to make it more productive and successful.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Tony Ritchie, Management Mentor, Mentors.ie

There are several issues to consider when starting a business including writing a business plan, legal obligations and financing along with seeking guidance for those and other topics of concern.

When deciding to become a business owner, it is important to conceive initial ideas and reach out to a mentor.  Mentors allow for personal counseling in the process and procedures of business start-up from an insider’s perspective.  Having a mentor in the situation can make this phase easier by reducing stress and increasing confidence in potential success.

There are certain resources available to unemployed workers and foreign nationals who wish to establish a business in Ireland.  For example, citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland do not need permission for business start-up here, while unemployed Irish citizens may be eligible for assistance via the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) or the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA).

According to they type of structure needed, per clientele and risk potential, businesses are set up as a sole trader, a partnership or a limited company.  A sole trader is the most simple start-up mainly requiring a person to register as self-employed with the Revenue Commissioners, while logging any business names with the Companies Registration Office.  The structure is personalized, however, by allowing potential creditors to seek personal assets for any potential debt if the business fails.

A partnership is the legal structure offered for two or more people that seek to join into establishing a business together.  A solicitor draws up a partners agreement that binds those individuals and holds them personally responsible for any debt.  A limited company structure is offered to those seeking to have the business established as a separate legal entity, with no personal contract to assume any related debt.

A business plan and funding concerns are also extremely important components of start-up planning.  Many County & City Enterprise Boards offer assistance to new businesses including grants and help with planning, which includes formulating and writing the business plan.  With many small business having difficulty establishing credit, the government has confirmed a partial loan guarantee scheme and a micro-finance loan fund for companies in Budget 2012 to help those seeking to establish enterprising endeavors.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Pat O’Sullivan, Strategic Development Mentor, Mentors.ie

Start-up businesses often require the advice of those with experience in their field or industry. Existing businesses don’t always meet their goals. Both of these businesses can benefit from having mentors. Mentors have long been associated with encouraging, steering, and advising. Mentor.ie has taken that concept to the next level as it relates to the business world.

It doesn’t matter, what size business or company you have. A mentor can offer you helpful tips, organizational advice, and strategy assistance. This is a good way to get your business on track to success. You will discover veteran professionals among the mentors at Mentor.ie. There are also individuals who were former executives here. With their assistance, you will be able to choose a better business model and to meet your goals.

Years of Experience

Mentors at Mentor.ie have years of experience and expertise. The working knowledge offered by mentors is a benefit to your business. If you need help tackling challenges, mentors can be effective. They can share proven techniques, as well as, advise you on direction. These veterans can also serve as board members for businesses.

Strategy Expertise

Some businesses need to define their strategy. Other businesses will find that it is necessary to re-define strategy. With the help of a qualified mentor, you can do just that. The approaches applied through Mentor.ie focus on business, people, sales, and operations. Expertise in this area can prove invaluable. Your strategy should be designed to lead to your overall success.

Long-Term Objectives

Long-term objectives are important when it comes to business success. This is especially essential when it comes to start-up business models. Mentors offer experience that will aid you in making plans for the future. These are long-term methods with on-going objectives. Mentor.ie works to share experience that requires action-oriented techniques.

Mentor.ie is staffed with individuals that have worked in various fields. They have both national and international experience. Their expertise can be a great benefit to your business. It is possible to meet your goals and productivity. At the same time, business owners can plan for the future with mentors at Mentor.ie.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Pat O’Sullivan, Strategic Development Mentor, Mentors.ie

Strategy is essential when it comes to setting up a successful business model. This is the case no matter what field or industry you are working in. It is not always easy to define what your strategy is. Many businesses struggle with this type of concern. Mentor.ie offers you the assistance that you need for defining and re-defining your business strategy.

Mentor.ie takes a proven approach at conducting business. This model looks at components like business, people, sales, operations, and strategy. Each component is valuable and necessary for you to accommodate. A qualified mentor will help you to better organize your business. The mentors at Mentor.ie offer years of professional experience. They also have expertise in a variety of areas. This experience and expertise are resources for you when you start to define your strategy.

Looking at Your Field

One of the ways to best compose a strategy is to look at your competition. Who are the players in your field? Are they successful? Mentors can assist you with this sort of information. They often apply their own professional experience with consulting duties. A look at your field will help you to adjust and to apply a winning strategy.

What Has Worked

Mentors don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to composing a strategy. Strategies that have worked in the past are good models. Fortunately for clients of Mentor.ie, mentors have worked and served in diverse fields of expertise. They know how to help start-up companies and businesses. Taking notice of the current climate and proven tactics and strategies, you can put together a successful model.

Utilize Mentors

No one wants to repeat the mistakes that other businesses have fallen to. Avoiding mistakes is a big part of conducting business. Mentors are resources to help you to avoid pitfalls in business. Utilizing them is a smart way to plan ahead in your strategy.

The veteran business professionals at Mentor.ie are skilled at corporate governance. These are individuals who have served on boards of multinational companies in some cases. Mentors offer you decades of knowledge and experience. It is possible to define a strategy with their help that will transform your business and how it performs. This is invaluable expertise at its best.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By David Parkinson, Human Resources Mentor, Mentors.ie

One of the challenging tasks for many businesses is finding chairpersons for their boards. Not just every professional will be right for your business’ board. There are a number of considerations that should factor into this decision. Mentor.ie takes into consideration what it is that businesses and companies need in this category.

Board members must fit into your company’s objectives. They should also offer a certain amount of experience and expertise. The mentors at Mentor.ie are equipped with both of these details. It doesn’t matter, whether your business is national or international. You will eventually need to staff your board. You don’t have to do this task alone. Mentors provided by Mentor.ie can work as your chairperson. They are also available as non-executive directors, consultants, and more.

Board Member Experience

The mentors offered by Mentor.ie offer a lot to businesses. Many of these individuals have served on boards before. This means that they not only know what to expect. These mentors understand what is required of them as a chairperson. You will easily be able to fill board seats with the help of Mentor.ie.

Understand Corporate Governance

Board members should understand corporate governance. This will factor into their responsibilities as chairpersons. Mentor.ie will provide you with veteran professionals that have this experience. Mentors have worked in different industries, which is a benefit to you and your company. Their expertise will prove beneficial for your business or company.

Offer Professional Experience

Mentors at Mentor.ie have a wealth of professional experience to offer. Some of these individuals are former executives. There are other mentors here who are non-executive professionals. You will have the best match for what your business needs. Mentors will also offer an understanding of professional associations which is an added benefit.

Mentor.ie is one of the most unique offerings when it comes to business start-ups. Their expertise and professional mentors help you to steer your business into the future. Mentors here are veteran business people. They have assisted with strategies, fixing problems, and meeting challenges. These are the sorts of individuals that are assets to any board.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Tony Ritchie, Management Mentor, Mentors.ie

Many people throughout Ireland are looking to set-up a successful company or business. Some simply want to find methods of operating their current business that have been proven. Mentors.ie is one of the best offerings when it comes to the corporate governance of businesses. It utilizes the idea of a mentor in this process. Mentors have long been valuable resources when it comes to one’s personal life and professional life.

Mentors.ie pushes this concept to the next level. Through its staff of experienced and qualified individuals they offer businesses everything that they need to succeed. The staff is composed of veteran executives and non-executives. Each brings their own experience in the corporate world to the table. Through the use of their experience business owners are able to better organize their businesses.

Mentors Fill Roles

Mentors can be used to fill a number of roles for businesses. They can function as Chairpersons, Non-Executive Directors, Consultants and more. Your board will require diversity in order to function properly. Mentor.ie has this diversity when it comes to filling your roles.

Mentors Share Expertise

You will discover that the mentors at Mentor.ie are equipped with a lot of expertise. They have experience dealing with a variety of issues. This expertise can be put to good use in your business. Businesses will have access to this knowledge when it comes to strategy goals. Defining strategy or re-defining it will play a role in the ultimate success and performance of your business.

Mentors Face Challenges

One very important thing that mentors provide is assistance when challenges arise. There will be challenges at times that must be dealt with. Mentor.ie applies an approach that has worked well in many industries. Looking at business, people, sales, operations, and strategy is a good approach to effectively starting your business.

Mentors.ie is one of the most unique approaches to use when starting a business. The resources offered here are proven to succeed. Having help to plan a winning strategy, you will help you see a transformation in your business operations. Mentors offer a variety of expertise that will apply to your own business model.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By Barry Brennan, Marketing and Business Development Mentor, Mentors.ie

Decades ago there were limitations when it came to opportunities for marketing. The internet has opened the door to alternate marketing methods. Businesses and companies can now use traditional marketing tools and those central to the internet. Using free marketing methods like social media has become a staple for many businesses.

It doesn’t matter, what field or industry that you represent. You can benefit from the use of social media. Twitter, Facebook, and various other outlets are terrific when it comes to marketing new products. They are also opportunities to gather diverse clientele through simple techniques. Social media has served to transform the way that business is conducted. At the same time, you can change your own model for success by using social media daily.

Introduce Businesses and Products

Many businesses utilize their social media presence in order to introduce themselves to new customers. You could be a boutique owner or niche café location. Social media is a terrific option for making that first impression on the public. This is a massive spin on word-of-mouth marketing. Businesses count on the use of their followers to earn them even more business.

From Followers to Customers

The uniqueness of social media is very beneficial to businesses and companies. You can attract followers even before they become your customers. If these customers love your products or services, they will likely share it with their friends and contacts. This becomes an renewable source of business. It allows you to constantly market yourself, while gaining customers.

Increasing Productivity

You can use social media to increase your company’s productivity. Having multiple avenues to earn profits is essential to any business. The internet is certainly one of those realms that businesses seek to master. Linking tweets, comments, and blog posts to your webstore helps you to benefit from your social media presence.

Social Media started as a way for people to simply communicate. Today, these outlets are used to conduct business. They are avenues to reach out to many people in a semi-personal way. You can use social media to stay connected with existing customers. This method of marketing also ensures that your products will be seen by a host of potential customers as well. Social media gives you an additional opportunity to make your business a success.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By David Parkinson, Management Mentor, Mentors.ie

For those establishing a business or making a resolution to refocus on Human Resources “best practices”, there are a few topics to consider based on provisions under Irish employment law.

Employee Status. Employees are secured either via contracts of service or contracts of services.  Only those under a contract of service will be an actual employee that is protected by the full range of employment legislation, while a self-employed person (independent contractor) would be engaged in a contract of services for those providing work in the role of a vendor.

Employee Terms. There may needs of the business that dictate using workers with atypical terms including fixed-term, part-time and temporary employees.  While all terms do not have to be in writing, some conditions, such as method of calculating pay and any sick pay scheme, must be recorded within two months of starting employment.

Compensation. While most experienced adult employees are entitled to the the minimum wage of €8.65 per hour, there are some exceptions including those working that are under 18, apprentices, trainees or those employed by close relatives.  There are also certain industries that require a higher minimum wage, such as those working in drapery, printing, electrical contracting and construction.

Employee Rights. As governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997, all employers are responsible for providing employees with adequate work hours.  This includes daily and weekly rest breaks, public holiday entitlements and annual leave.  Other leave entitlements for eligible employees could include general health and safety matters along with adoptive, parental, maternity and long-term care situations.

Policies and Procedures. Record keeping is key in having successful HR relations with employees and governmental officials.  During a National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) Inspection a number of documents will be requested including all of the previously stated information along with payroll details, holiday entitlement specifics and any employee-related history of the business.  Other internal policies and procedures should include how to deal with matters regarding absences, grievances, discipline and dignity (anti-bullying/harassment) should also be determined.