Tony Collins: How about being a Northland business mentor?

How about sharing your business skills and experience with others? Photo / Getty Images

If you have been a business owner or involved in business for more than a few years, there is a good chance you have developed a whole range of skills and experiences that make you much better at what you do now than when you first started out.

Typically, these capabilities have been acquired informally through day to day experiences and mistakes or through some form of formal training to gain specific skills that have helped make your business a success.

Let's be honest about it, the mere fact that a business operates for any period of time in what is a dynamic environment influenced by so many factors over which the business owner has no control means the owner has been doing something right.

During that time there was probably someone or some people who supported you along the way, who acted as a sounding board, provided business advice and generally helped keep you focused on your end goal.

Imagine how much more difficult your task would have been without that support and if you did not have any support imagine how much you would have appreciated someone to help you.

Often the support that was provided for you may not have been particularly complicated or earth-shattering but there is so much a business person needs to know to ensure business success and it is amazing what you learn along the way that would be useful to others.

This experience that has been picked along your journey to become successful in business could help other businesses grow and thrive.

The benefit of using your skills and knowledge to help others is that it strengthens the existing business community and economic well-being of the area you operate in.

You contribute toward creating employment growth and can reciprocate the business support others in the community have provided you along your journey.

Northland business people often undersell their ability and talent. Their modesty often leads them to the mistaken belief that they do not have the skills to help others.

We would love to talk to you about how you can become a business mentor and help other businesses prosper.

Your experience gives you the skills to mentor and we can provide you with the framework to do it which ensures that those businesses that need support receive it and your valuable time is put to the best possible use.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in then please contact us at NZ Chambers of Commerce Northland.

■ Tony Collins is the Northland Chamber of Commerce's chief executive.