“I signed up for the mentorship programme offered by the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce through the company I work for, North Staffordshire Press. However, rather than just coaching me on aspects related to my role at the publishing house, my mentor, Nigel Howle, tailored the mentorship to suit all elements of my developing career which has been especially useful during this challenging stage of venturing into the somewhat enigmatic publishing and translation industries.
“Nigel was very accommodating throughout the 5-months of the mentorship; whether that was organising a time to meet, or planning exactly what to discuss, I knew that I could rely on our meetings to fit in with my rather erratic work schedule, and that they would actively complement the work I was doing. Nigel covered a wide range of topics in our meetings, from giving advice on boosting the company’s online presence, to tips on succeeding when self-employed. I certainly wouldn’t have known where to start in finding such extensive, genuine information about these subjects otherwise, and especially not with the invaluable resources, tips and industry relevant experience that Nigel provided.
“Nigel’s mentoring didn’t just stop after our meetings ended either; he even guided me on how to enter into the (daunting) world of networking. As well as helping to improve my presentations for networking events, he has also made me aware of numerous available groups to join locally and clarified exactly how I can use these to collaborate with the county’s business community and create strong, constructive links throughout Staffordshire. I couldn’t recommend this mentorship programme more; not only have I finished the programme with a much clearer understanding of the ins-and-outs of the creative sector, and a stronger view of how to achieve my career goals, but I have also gained a wonderful colleague within Staffordshire’s creative community that I am very much looking forward to networking with, and hopefully working with, in the future.”