A minute with a mentor: Martyn Jones

As part of promoting the valuable mentoring support delivered through Boost's Growth Mentoring programme, we highlight some of the mentors behind the scenes that work with Lancashire businesses. So take a break for a minute and read about Martyn Jones, a strategic planning and leadership specialist.

Why did you choose to become a mentor?

To share my experience, knowledge and contacts with honest, ambitious, enthusiastic and talented business people who would value and appreciate it, and hopefully benefit from it, but possibly not able to access it nor afford it.

How do you make a real difference to Lancashire businesses?

By acting as a sounding board and helping Lancashire business owners to achieve the lifestyle they wish, I can hopefully play a part in guaranteeing the long-term survival of their business and creating jobs for local people.

What is your area of expertise and why is it an important area to for business leaders to address?

Strategic planning and Leadership. It is so, so important for businesses to know exactly where they want to be, to have a joined-up, workable plan to get them there, to have the right people on board with them and to take their people willingly on the journey.

It is especially true at the moment when everyone is surrounded by doubt and uncertainty and need inspiring leaders.

What has been your most inspirational moment as a mentor?

Fortunately, I get inspirational moments at some point with every client I work with. Sometimes it is seeing lights come on in their eyes, other times it’s hearing pennies drop in their brains.

Sometimes it’s just seeing their smile and hearing their genuine words of thanks. Those are the things that tell me that I’m making a difference. That gives me a real buzz. That is the reason I still do this stuff.

What are the key challenges for Lancashire businesses at the moment?

Getting out of the survival mindset and focusing on the future with hope and enthusiasm. Some things have changed and your original plans and timescales may not be relevant now but if you have a good business proposition, a clearly defined and closely matched target market and a well-thought out plan to get the two together, why not just go for it?

As a mentor, what are your three business growth tips?

Have a really clear, multi-coloured vision of the life you’d like for yourself and your loved ones that your business can deliver for you. You have my permission to dream big. Use that vision as the measure against which you make every business decision.
Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for help. Nobody knows everything and there are people around who have been there before you and will be happy to help guide and advise you.
Cashflow is everything. Don’t lose sight of it or disrespect it.

Martyn is an IoD certified director who has had a career in large plcs and has spent the last nine years working exclusively with SMEs and charities. He currently works as a management partner at Ampios and is also an independent chairman, non-executive director and board adviser with various companies, as well as being a mentor for Boost's Growth Mentoring programme. Martyn is pictured above with Kelly Bolton, from Aggressive Growth Marketing, who received mentoring support through Boost's Growth Mentoring programme.