"It's lifted us to another, higher, level of expectation for our business," says Margaret Mulqueen of the Business in the Community (BITC) mentoring her company received.
Mulqueen and co-owner Stephen Lewin run Quantel Business Solutions from Massey University's incubator e-centre.
The company, which provides business services and technology, was already running productively
when a chance meeting led Mulqueen and Lewin into the programme.
A business magazine's article about their firm drew an inquiry from another business. That led to a conversation, and an introduction to Sarah Trotman.
"What a whirlwind hour," Lewin said of the initial mentoring session.
Networking was the main topic and Mulqueen and Lewin were urged to attend the Innovate conference - where they made many useful contacts - and to hold an official launch for their product, which helps with profile and relationship building.
"Sometimes, running your own business, you can feel really isolated," Mulqueen said. "Through networking you can feel more supported.
"The benefit of having someone from outside your business taking the bird's eye view for you is huge."
But, Mulqueen said, for the process to work, a company had to be open to hearing what the mentor had to offer.
Quantel had recommended BITC to numerous firms in the past year.
