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Guidance supporting Europe’s aspiring entrepreneurs
Policy and practice to harness future potential

Mentors and mentees are interviewed and then paired. Mentor/mentee pairs where gender,
age, sector and background are mixed, appear to work best. Complementary personal
characteristics also seem to work well; for example, a mentee who is ideological can benefit from
the help of a mentor who is practical in their approach.

Activities
Mentees and mentors meet monthly during the course of a year, with each meeting lasting around
two hours. Mentees are given ‘homework’ between the sessions so that they can work on the issues
discussed in their meetings. The aim of a mentor is to act as a sounding board, listen and ask
questions. The mentor should also convey knowledge and experience and where possible, help to
build a network of contacts for the mentee. Mentees should not ask their mentor to make decisions
on their behalf, but they can ask them for opinions, tips, techniques and tools to reach their own
goals. The mentees are in charge of determining how much they can get as it is their needs and
interests that should drive the discussions.

Beneficiaries and results
Mentor Eget Företag is now the second largest entrepreneurial mentoring programme in the world,
after SCORE, but the largest in the world when the number of mentors is ranked against the
number of inhabitants in the country (Wikholm et al., 2008). The programme now involves 1 000
mentees and 1 000 mentors each year. Around 44 000 new businesses are set up in Sweden every
year. This means that 2.3% of new businesses benefit from the programme.
A survey of 100 mentors and 100 mentees was carried out in 2007. The survey showed high
levels of satisfaction with the programme and highlighted the importance of the programme in the
development of mentees’ businesses, their skills and entrepreneurial qualities and shaping their
business concepts. For example, 90% of new entrepreneurs and 94% of mentors believe that new
enterprises develop more quickly with the help of a mentor than without. The mentoring process has
helped mentees systematically develop action plans and clear targets for their businesses,
exchange ideas with an experienced mentor and extend their business networks.
Mentees believe that the best features of the programme have been the support and guidance
provided by the mentor, an opportunity to exchange ideas with someone and an opportunity to
extend their network through the relationship with the mentor.
The survey also shows that participation in the programme offers the mentor a concrete
opportunity to share their business knowledge and ‘feel valued’. Nearly all mentors (98%) would
consider recommending the mentoring programme to another colleague or entrepreneur.

The Swedish example presents many important lessons. Most mentees
believe that their entrepreneurial qualities have developed as a consequence of
the programme, which in turn increases confidence and helps them take control
of the development of their own business. The programme also stresses the
importance of making sure that the personal qualities of both the mentor and
mentee complement one another. The qualifications and experience of potential
mentors are important, but equally, and sometimes even more important, is to
match a new entrepreneur with a mentor who appreciates what kind of guidance
and support the mentee needs and how this can be best provided. This demands
empathy, commitment and ability to see ‘the bigger picture’.
The Swedish experience has also shown that participation in mentoring
programmes gives a great deal of satisfaction to many retired business people, in
knowing that their experience and knowledge is being valued. Surveys among
mentors and mentees also show that half of senior executives would consider

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