Our Impact
Driving Business Growth and Wellbeing through Professional Business Mentoring


Unlocking Economic Potential with Mentorship
The UK’s business landscape, home to 5.5 million SMEs employing 16.7 million people, represents a cornerstone of the economy, generating a GDP of £2.7 trillion. Despite robust entrepreneurial foundations, many businesses face challenges in translating ambition into growth. The Association of Business Mentors (ABM) is championing professional business mentoring as the bridge between aspiration and tangible success.
Professional business mentoring provides tailored guidance from seasoned experts, empowering leaders to navigate obstacles, seize opportunities, and accelerate business growth.
“Mentoring is unlike anything you can find anywhere else… The amount of value I got from day one really surprised me.”
BRANDON SHIELS Managing Director, Compassion First Homecare

The Benefits of Professional Mentoring
Our research, undertaken with business leaders who have received professional business mentoring and professional business mentors themselves, reveals the impact mentoring is having on leaders, businesses and the wider economy.
63% of business leaders reported that mentoring allowed them to increase their headcount, demonstrating its role in building capacity and supporting team expansion.
7 out of 10 business leaders said working with a professional mentor improved their mental health and confidence, showcasing the personal and emotional benefits of mentoring.
72% of business leaders noted that mentoring directly improved their work-life balance, with the same number highlighting enhanced mental health and confidence as a result of their mentoring experience.
These findings highlight that professional business mentoring matters not only because it drives business growth but also improves the mental well-being of leaders and teams at large.
“My turnover has grown substantially as a result over the years I have been working with Gary and I would encourage anyone starting out in business to seriously consider the benefits of working with a professional business mentor.”
DEBBIE WHITAKER Director, Not Just Numbers
Barriers to Accessing Professional Mentorship
Whilst the findings of the report demonstrate the positive impact that professional business mentoring has on growth and wellbeing, the research also found clear barriers to accessing mentoring:
- A quarter of business leaders said that they had found it harder than expected to find a business mentor.
- There are barriers to the benefits of mentoring being felt across the business ecosystem – 25% of business leaders said they found it harder than expected to find a mentor, suggesting that demand may be outstripping supply. 34% said that finding someone with professional mentoring experience/qualifications was the main barrier to finding a mentor – the most cited reason by respondents.
Based on these insights, we have formulated a set of recommendations to improve access to professional business mentoring and further drive business growth.
“Having that sounding board for when things get really tricky when I can't see a solution is very good for my personal mental health. It means I've got somebody who knows my business who I can talk to.”
Charlie Stockbridge, Managing Director, Manuscript Pen Company

Recommendations: Increasing Awareness & Expanding Access to Professional Business Mentors
Professional business mentoring delivers transformative benefits, from enhancing revenues and job creation to fostering innovation and wellbeing. By investing in mentorship accessibility and awareness, the UK can unlock its full economic potential, empowering businesses to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
The question now is how do we ensure that more businesses – and, by extension, the UK economy – can access these powerful benefits?
Our research points to several areas where public policy can play a supportive role, helping make professional business mentoring more widely accessible and impactful.
Our recommendations are centered on two key actions:
- Increasing awareness: It is vital to promote the proven benefits of professional business mentoring for growth and wellbeing. Raising awareness among business owners, government, policy makers, and business bodies can drive demand for quality mentoring and enhance understanding of its long-term value.
- Expanding access to qualified professional mentors: The evidence shows that qualified mentors are instrumental in fostering growth and resilience in businesses. Making it easier for companies, especially SMEs, to connect with experienced and highly qualified mentors can unlock significant economic and social value.
For more insights, read the full ABM Research Report and join the movement driving business growth through the power of professional mentoring.
Interested in joining the ABM?
Whether you are at the start of your business mentoring journey, or run an established mentoring business, ABM membership provides you with the network and tools to develop and grow your mentoring skills and business.