“Mentoring has transformed not only the way I run my shop, but also how I see myself as a leader.”
– Lucy Eason, ABM mentee

Running a busy high-street gift & lifestyle shop, George’s in Whitstable, is a dream come true for Lucy Eason, a second-generation business owner, whose father originally opened the shop. After taking over the reins, Lucy wanted to evolve the business into something stylish and aspirational, but she hadn’t anticipated just how transformational that vision could become with the right business mentoring support.

Through the Help to Grow: management course, Lucy was matched with ABM member Gill Wilson, a business mentor, who helped her gain clarity on leadership, achieve a better work-life balance and significantly improve profitability. Within a year of starting her mentoring journey, profits had increased by 17% — a result Lucy directly attributes to her work with Gill.

“Having had no previous academic or business training, Gill’s mentorship has been invaluable in guiding George’s to stronger performance and an impressive 17% increase in profitability.”

But the numbers are only part of the story.

From operational manager to strategic leader

The biggest shift came in how Lucy managed her team and led the business. Delegating responsibilities, investing in staff training, and actively shaping the company culture were all outcomes of the reflection and accountability embedded in the mentoring sessions.

“Gill helped me move beyond the day-to-day operations. I’ve been able to ‘stop, analyse, assess, plan, action and review,’ which has truly enabled me to become more strategic in my role. I’ve transitioned from being primarily operational to leading more strategically, thanks to Gill’s guidance. I’m now more in control, able to plan and communicate more effectively with my team.”

“Gill’s questions, especially ‘Why,’ really got me to understand my choices better and enabled me to step back and develop a more strategic approach to the business.”

Improved delegation and team development

Mentoring also provided the accountability Lucy needed to move forward.

“Gill’s guidance was pivotal in teaching me to ‘stop doing it myself’ and truly invest in team development. Our team is now stronger because of improved delegation. I’ve learned to communicate more effectively with my team, and the focus on empowering them through delegation has been a huge win for George’s.”

Defined and communicated business values and culture

“Beyond my own growth, Gill’s mentorship enabled us to work with our team to clearly define our business values. It’s fostered a powerful sense of shared purpose and strengthened our entire business culture.”

Achieved greater clarity and boundaries around work-life balance

One of Lucy’s earliest goals was to find a healthier balance between work and life.

“I love my business so much, it’s like my third child. But Gill made me see that loving it doesn’t mean it should consume me. She helped me understand what balance looks like for me, and that meant letting go of the guilt around taking time for myself. Gill also helped me identify smaller personal goals that will ‘enhance my life,’ significantly improving my wellbeing. My perspective on goals changed; I now understand that all the ‘small things add up,’ including achieving a healthier work-life integration.”

Leading with purpose

Together, Gill and Lucy worked on identifying her core values and goals, then turning those into clear, communicable leadership principles.

“I started to really understand what it means to lead — to inspire, coach, and live the values I want my team to follow.”

Now continuing on a monthly basis, the mentoring relationship continues to evolve, just like the business.

“Gill’s personality made me feel at ease, building trust and respect, which enabled her to ask the difficult questions that truly got to the bottom of issues and led to tangible business results. I am very grateful for having met Gill. She’s a great mentor who helped me understand myself better as a business owner, leader, and decision-maker, seeing clear benefits in our past and current work together.”

“One of the biggest breakthroughs in Lucy’s journey was helping her see that effective leadership isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing differently. Once she began to delegate, define her values, and set real boundaries, the whole business shifted. She already had the vision — I just helped her unlock it.”
– Gill, ABM mentor

Impact Summary

• 17% increase in profit within a year of mentoring
• Shifted from operational manager to strategic leader
• Improved delegation and team development
• Defined and communicated business values and culture
• Achieved greater clarity and boundaries around work-life balance

This case shows exactly how ABM’s mentoring network supports sustainable business growth and personal wellbeing — helping leaders thrive, not just survive.