5 reasons why you, as a social enterprise, need a mentor

A different perspective and loads of experience
There are several reasons why enterprises fail. Not only can seasoned mentors see a problem through fresh lenses, but they might have experienced firsthand what you’re going through, and often have solutions for the challenges lying on the path ahead. 

More opportunities for networking
When it comes to entrepreneurship, networking is crucial as it allows you to access opportunities, collaborate with other experts,  or even meet people that could be a stepping stone that could change your enterprise for the better. Finding the right connections can be extremely tedious unless you have a mentor who can connect you with the right people. The good news is, most mentors have met a plethora of entrepreneurs and other key professionals in the field. 

Assistance in building your enterprise’s culture
These mentors’ advice and guidance are invaluable when it comes to helping you build a strong organisational culture. A good culture that supports the integrity of the organisation has a key role in the success of a social enterprise as it keeps employees motivated and committed. 

Help to make the right decisions
Taking the right decisions fast can determine the survival of an enterprise. In these situations, an experienced mentor’s advice can be extremely useful to help you make the right decisions instead of stumbling on obstacles that could be easily avoided. 

Build strong management skills
Building a strong enterprise requires a set of management skills, including communication, planning, strategic thinking and problem-solving. A good mentor can help you develop these skills.

Mentors act as a compass on your journey to success! 

For these reasons and many more, we organised a matchmaking event during which our participating Social Enterprises met high calibre business professionals, impact professionals and serial entrepreneurs. If they are all from different fields, they are all driven by the desire to watch our cohort grow professionally and personally, during our Impact Accelerator Programme. 

Here are the results of our previous matchmaking event!

Mentors & Advisory Board for APPEL

APPEL, Association Pour Les Personnes en Larmes, addresses the issue of homelessness and empowers those who are the most marginalised in the community through job opportunities. 

Mentors

Audrey d’Hotman
Social Development Consultant

Jimmy Lan 
General Manager of the Hospitality Division at Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd

Advisory Board 

Pascal Fleur 
Manager at Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd

Rebecca Espitalier-Noel
Co-Founder and Managing Director at FoodWise Mauritius

Atul Bhatia
Head of PMO & Customer Experience at Emtel Ltd

Priya Chunderdeep 
Head of HR at Emtel Ltd

Mentors & Advisory Board for ECO HUSTLE

Founded by Lalita Purbhoo Junggee in 2019, Eco Hustle is a social enterprise with two eco-friendly brands; Sakili & Recycle Moi.

Mentors 

Jean-Luc Wilain
Sustainable Strategy Advisor at WILLCHANGE Ltd

Micael Noguero Kwik
B Corp market Builder at B Market Builder Mauritius

Salim Sulliman
General Manager at Margarine Industries Ltd

Advisory Board

Rishaad Currimjee
CEO- Commercial at Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd

Shivendra Nautiyal
CTO at Emtel

Zayd Soobedar
Founder & Managing Director at Strategic Insight Group Supply Chain Finance & RiskTech Evangelist

Mentors & Advisory Board for EVERBLOOM

Created by Vishesh Gangaram, an experienced social entrepreneur, Everbloom seeks to provide a platform where sustainable agriculture and food security prevail.

Mentors 

Nazeem Junggee
Founder at 1950 Design & Print Co Ltd

Rouben Soobrayen
General Manager at Screenage Ltd

Vikas Khanna
CIO at Emtel

Advisory Board

Audrey d’Hotman
Social Development Consultant

Prakash Bheekhoo
Director at Emtel Business at Emtel

Kelly Yeo
Farm City

Mentors & Advisory Board for MORIVERT

MORIVERT was founded by Mujahid Emambokus, a young eco-entrepreneur on a mission of giving back to nature while providing employment opportunities to people. 

Mentors

Devanaden Ayaloo
Head of Solutions Architect at Emtel

Jean-Marc Rivet
Estate Manager at Ferney

Nadeem Peerally
Maintenance Executive at Quality Beverages

Advisory Board

Marc Israel
Engineer, Founder, Business Angel, Board Member and CEO

Moostakeem Ghoora
Manager, Project Analysis, Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd

Nicolas Nardin
Former Commercial Director

Mentors & Advisory Board for SIDS

Sustainable Idea Development Store was conceptualised in 2016 by Sidharta Runganaikaloo Gannoo, a passionate activist and her husband Shanil Rao Gannoo. Together they introduced SIDS, an Eco shop in Beau Bassin in 2021. 

Mentors

Ashok Geega
Senior Commercial Manager at Batimex Ltd

Ounishka Chuckowree
CEO at Strategic Insight Ltd

Advisory Board

Micael Noguero Kwik
B Corp market Builder at B Market Builder Mauritius

Nabeel Rahimbaccus
Manager of Service Operations Center at Emtel

Shakti Callikan
Social & Cultural Entrepreneur

Rahim Domah
Internal Audit Manager at Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd