UK Business Mentoring

Having met Paul Clarke at a business taster session, I was impressed by his down-to-earth, easy style and felt confident going in to a series of mentoring appointments for him to assess and advise from an impartial point of view on my mortgage business. I was looking to not only make the business more streamlined, efficient and up to date but also to give myself more free time. In the space of just the first 5 sessions, not only have I begun to see the increased profitability but also having an independent, experienced eye looking over my business who isn't shy of challenging inefficient behaviours but in a constructive, positive way is of a greater benefit than I had ever imagined. Having monthly meetings that are focused and productive, but flexible, is so useful and helps to ensure that progress is being made month on month both financially and from a not-feeling-so-alone point of view, being able to sound ideas and strategies and having new ones that I haven't thought of suggested from Paul as well as the support and encouragement to push the boundaries outside my comfort zone and to recognise the areas that have become a bit stale over the years - I have been in business for over 20 years and self-employed for 30 years, my only regret with Paul is that I didn't meet him sooner!

I’ve worked with Mike Braddock over the last three months since joining our company as General Manager, and in that short time I’ve seen the impact of his mentoring and strategic support firsthand. Mike played a key role in facilitating a recent strategy day for our leadership team, helping us create a clear and focused business strategy through to 2030. His ability to keep discussions productive, challenge us where needed, and ensure we left with both direction and practical next steps was invaluable. He has also supported us in implementing a staff appraisal system and in developing our management team to take greater ownership and accountability in their roles. What stands out most is Mike’s balance of strategic insight and practical delivery. He brings structure, clarity, and momentum, while remaining approachable and genuinely invested in helping businesses succeed. I would highly recommend Mike to any organisation looking for experienced mentoring and meaningful business improvement.

I have been working with Mark for 18 Months and he has been fantastic. His initial company investigation and staff interviews provided very valuable insight as to where weaknesses were present and this provided the necessary building blocks of restructure and planning. Our regular monthly meetings allow for constructive progress to be made all the time and highlights the areas needing more attention. Mark has a genuine passion for what he does and this comes across easily with his enthusiasm. He has taught me to develop a better work life balance which has been extremely important to my family life. I would highly recommend Mark to anyone who is needing a professional outside eye to give constructive criticism with genuine achievable new results. Thanks again Mark for all your help and support.

Expertly guided zoom call in a non judgmental setting, exceeding all expectations. Jim speaks with humility, experience and and air of understanding that speaks volumes. Would highly recommend to both new and experienced managers alike.

Jim Gorrie’s sales training exceeded my expectations. His logical, step-by-step sales techniques make the entire process feel clear and manageable. What stood out most was how encouraging and empowering the training was. It truly built my confidence and gave me a fresh perspective on sales. I now feel more prepared, more structured, and far more confident in my approach.

Rob has been invaluable as my business mentor as I've been scaling my electrical business. He has a real knack for breaking down complex business challenges into straightforward steps I can actually implement. As we prepare to recruit in the coming months, Rob's been helping me think through the financial implications and how to bring new people on board properly. What I value most is having him as a sounding board, whenever questions come up about growth, systems, or the next steps for the business, I know I can run things past him and get practical guidance based on his genuine experience of scaling businesses. His support has given me the confidence to take the business forward, knowing I've got someone in my corner who understands what it takes to grow successfully.

I've been working with Lee for a number of months now and really enjoying the mentoring. Lee has helped me work out a clear strategy for the business going forward.

We started working with Lee 3 months ago and it's safe to say that it's been one of the best things we ever done. We launched our business in 2023 and have been looking at how to grow and develop in a strategic way. Lee has been fantastic at getting us to look carefully at how we run things and whether it is the most effective way, he questions our decisions and processes which is good for us as it holds us accountable and really makes us think over what we are doing. By making small changes over the last few months we have already seen the business improving and our enquiry numbers increasing and each process and step we do is flowing much more smoothly. We would highly recommend Lee to anyone looking for mentoring, he's been fantastic to work with and we're looking forward to continuing in the future.

Mike Braddock was an exceptional trainer - we presented him with a room full of employees from early twenties to late fifties with varying qualifications and work place experience - his session on Leadership and Management was thought provoking for everyone. For us it was just about Leading and Managing our team it was about how we Lead and Manage our clients. I highly recommend this training to any business - everyone keeps talking about ducks and soaring eagles!

Jim has been an outstanding business mentor. His insights, guidance, and advice, delivered in a personable and straightforward manner, have given us the confidence to focus on key areas that truly matter. His support has had a positive impact on how we approach and develop our internal growth strategies.

I’ve been working with Mark for just over 18 months, and his insight has been hugely valuable to the business. Having an external perspective, backed by his experience, has been a real asset in making key decisions and moving the company forward. What stands out most is that Mark clearly loves what he does, that genuine enthusiasm comes through in every session and makes his support even more effective. I’d highly recommend Mark to anyone considering his services. It’s been a great experience so far, and I look forward to continuing to work with him.

I have had the privilege of working with Rob previously, and knowing his track record of business success, I was very happy to be given the experience of working with him again, this time as a business mentor for my Tech Recruitment business. We are still in the early stages of our journey together, but Rob has already provided me with valuable tools and plenty of thought-provoking insights. His guidance has given me lots of things to focus on, and I’m genuinely excited about the months and years ahead as we continue working together.

Working with Rob has been a transformative experience for both myself and my business. His attention to detail and the depth of insight he provided helped me fully understand every aspect of my business. As a result, I now have clear direction, structured plans, and actionable strategies, rather than constantly reacting to challenges as they arise. Early on, Rob pointed out that while I had a plan, I lacked a true strategy, and through our work together, this quickly became clear. If you are serious about growing your business and want to work smarter with clear, focused goals, I highly recommend Rob Douglass as a mentor.

Everyone needs a Mark in their business life. His mentoring has reinvigorated my enthusiasm for business, and helped restore my confidence, allowing me to focus on turning goals into actions. He brings invaluable insight, objective critique and accountability across all key areas of our business whilst putting a mirror up to positively reflect what we have already achieved. Mark is professional and objective, as well as personable and supportive. I would have absolutely no hesitation is recommending Mark to others.

“The sessions run by Paul Clarke and Jim were truly inspirational for the firms that took part, leaving participants feeling invigorated and motivated to put their new insights into practice. They clearly understand the challenges business owners face - and how isolating leadership can sometimes be. Through their support, ideas, and the way they challenge current thinking, they provide a refreshing and motivating experience for business leaders. ”.

I attended a session as part of a mentoring partnership with the Bank of Ireland for Intermediaries (UK). Paul Clarke's ability to connect with his audience and inspire confidence in what they do, which in turn motivated participation and the sharing of ideas from the group, was a joy to watch and be part of. The best thing about working with Joe Hinton is his authenticity. Joe is extremely approachable and you feel that you can trust him from the get go. He has a wealth of experience and shares this in a way that makes you feel that he understands immediately the challenges that you might be experiencing in running a business. I took away with me some practical ideas and solutions that I could implement immediately which have made an immediate difference to how I work. I would thoroughly recommend the UK Business Mentoring Group if you are looking for a coaching and mentoring partnership.

Since the start of the year, the partnership between Bank of Ireland for Intermediaries and UK Business Mentoring has delivered exceptional value to the intermediary market across the UK. Central to this success are Joe Hinton and Paul Clarke, whose coaching sessions are both insightful and highly engaging. Joe’s practical wisdom and approachable style, paired with Paul’s strategic clarity and motivational delivery, create a powerful learning experience. Their sessions consistently inspire confidence and provide actionable tools for business growth. This collaboration stands as a model for how financial services and mentoring can work hand-in-hand to drive meaningful, long-term impact and a project I am proud to be working within.

Working with Paul and Joe was a real pleasure. Both are extremely professional, Knowledgeable, capable and above all great people to work with. The work they undertook was of a very high quality and really appreciated by the delegates such that I am sure long term business relationships will be formed as a result of their training.

I have been working with Paul for 12 months now. He has brought invaluable insight, objective critique and accountability across all key areas of my business whilst hugely improving my skills as a leader. This has resulted in a feeling of much more control, understanding, ability to respond and general sense of wellbeing to me. He acts with professionalism and objectivity whilst also being personable and supportive. I look forward to our continued relationship and further improvement of both my skill set and my business performance.

Really enjoying working with Paul, has given me a new lease of life in the business and now im excited again about where this jounry will take us!