Thank you to everyone who completed the 2026 ABM Membership Survey.  

Your feedback has given us a clear view of what matters most: professional credibility, meaningful mentoring opportunities, practical support and a stronger sense of connection. 

Last week’s win of Best Professional Body at the prestigious Memcom Awards 2026 was testament to the community that we are building and a rapidly growing and passionate profession of business mentors.  

We are still on the journey, but we are building a membership that you can be proud to be part of. 

In the membership survey you told us that overall satisfaction with ABM membership has increased, rising from 6.95 out of 10 in 2025 to 7.09 in 2026. 

That is an important signal to us. Members value the Association, but we know we need to do more to create an experience that people actively recommend. 

Your feedback is shaping our priorities for 2027. 

You told us: credibility matters – but it must lead somewhere 

ABM’s professional standards, accreditation and recognition remain among the benefits members value most. You told us that this credibility should also open doors to paid work, stronger client relationships and commercial opportunity. 

What we’re changing: We will focus more sharply on connecting professional recognition with opportunity. This includes developing stronger routes to corporate partnerships, client referrals, tender opportunities and direct matching where appropriate. 

You told us: you are looking to develop more paid mentoring opportunities 

Of the 107 members who responded, 82 said they were interested in developing paid mentoring opportunities, either exclusively or alongside voluntary work. Commercial mentoring opportunities also became the highest-rated membership benefit in this year’s survey. 

What we’re changing: Creating clearer opportunities to paid mentoring work will be a central priority for 2027. We will keep members updated as this work develops, including opportunities created through partnerships, referrals and the newly launched Find a Mentor Directory. 

You told us: membership builds confidence – now help us build our practices 

62% of respondents said ABM membership had increased their confidence as a business mentor. However, only 21% said it had positively affected the growth of their business. 

What we’re changing: Our professional development offer will place greater emphasis on helping members turn their expertise and credentials into viable mentoring practices. This includes support around business development, building a mentoring practice, and making effective use of AI and technology. 

You told us: the Find a Mentor Directory needs to work harder 

You want the directory to be easier for potential clients to find and use. You also asked for stronger member profiles, better search functionality and clearer evidence of the enquiries and successful matches it generates. 

What we’re changing: Improvements to the Find a Mentor Directory are already underway. Our focus is on making it more visible, more useful for clients and more effective at generating meaningful opportunities for members. Watch this space for an October launch!  

You told us: practical support makes a difference 

Skills-sharing sessions attracted the strongest participation among the activities covered in the survey. You also told us that practical templates, contracts, checklists and mentoring models are valuable – but need to be easier to find, current and editable. 

What we’re changing: We will improve the organisation and signposting of member resources, while strengthening the practical tools available to support your day-to-day mentoring work. 

You told us: support should reflect where you are in your journey 

Members asked for better onboarding, clearer progression between membership levels and more tailored communication. Affiliates, Members and Fellows have different needs, and you want ABM support to reflect that. 

What we’re changing: We will develop a clearer, more personal member journey, with stronger onboarding, more visible progression and communication that is more relevant to your stage of practice. 

You told us: connection matters 

You want more ways to connect with fellow mentors – through regional activity, face-to-face events, specialist groups, buddy schemes and peer learning. The ABM community matters to you, but participation needs to be more flexible and accessible. 

What we’re changing: We will explore more varied ways for members to connect, learn and share experience, with a focus on practical value and greater flexibility. 

What happens next 

Your feedback is not being filed away.  

It is informing ABM’s 2027 priorities across mentoring opportunities, professional development, member resources, communication and the overall member experience. 

We will share updates as this work progresses, so you can see how your feedback is influencing the Association’s direction. 

Thank you for helping us build a stronger ABM – one that supports, champions and creates more opportunity for business mentors.