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OK, let’s get the controversial statement out of the way…..

A business mentor is a business coach who is unable to stop themselves from giving their own opinion.

I’ll admit, this is a massive generalisation, and is said with the tongue firmly in the cheek.  However, it does contain an element of truth.  A coach seeks to help the individual.  When I work with a business owner, I am seeking to coach them to be better at running a business.  This is achieved by letting the individual set the agenda, and by applying methodology which helps the individual work out their issues.

In contrast, a business mentor will seek to make the business better.

I believe that both methods are valid, but it is important that the individual is clear which one they actually want.  A business mentor will very often help to fix problems, using their skills, experience and knowledge.  However, they do not necessarily leave the business owner in a better position to solve the next problem.

A good business coach will have a finite term.  They will work with an individual until that person feels they no longer needs their coach.

In contrast, it is possible for a business mentor to never leave, as they have not necessarily improved the skills of their client.

Now, I stress, I do believe that each of these approaches has merit, and in practice it may well be that a business coach will be able to slip into mentoring and provide advice when appropriate.  However, the coaching principle of helping the individual to become better themselves, is one that I do very strongly subscribe to.