A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle

I was asked recently why I think mentoring is important. In response, this quote by James Keller sprang to mind. The quote is one of my favourites and it really sums up for me the idea of mentoring: why wouldn’t I want to bring light to another?

If one other person can learn from the hard-won lessons we have already learnt, if one other person can benefit from the advice we’ve picked up along the way, why wouldn’t we share that with them?

Throughout my life, I’ve always felt compelled to engage with others when invited – whether that’s through sharing my experience or providing a bit of emotional support for someone in need of a safety net. My small business mentoring is simply an extension of that deep impulse.

For many years, my husband Mark and I have toiled to get our start-up business off the ground. We kept our heads down and worked – hard. It wasn’t until some 13 years later that we finally put our heads above the parapet and took a deep breath. Seeing what we’ve achieved – and getting the recognition from our local business community for it – was a transformational moment for me. And it kicked off my involvement in supporting other local businesses, students and start-ups.

The people I met through the first award win our small business achieved opened doors for me. So, for me, mentoring isn’t only about an impulse to help – it’s about an impulse to pay forward some of the support, knowledge and guidance I’ve also received.

Whether it is opening up a door for someone, helping them to find the door they need to bang on, giving them a step up or offering some ideas for picking the lock – if we can share what we’ve learnt with someone else, the trade is never one way.

Together, our fire burns brighter.