Two commercial set ups, both employing fewer than 10 people.

Client number one tells me that he is too busy to see me, because he has to deal with a severe drop in sale in his shops. Client number two says he is too confused to meet me, as he wants to work out why his main customer will not pay him properly.

Hey guys! Remember my expertise? I am your business mentor and coach. I can show you how to look for the answers and how to handle them.

The above outlines refer to actual scenarios that I have faced recently. I was thinking about them, when talking today to my ‘mentoring guru’, a Jerusalem taxi driver. Portly to say the least and having exhausted his explanation of the delights of his new Mercedes, he asked me what I do for a living.

When I responded by describing that I meet with all kinds of clients in multiple sectors and at different stages of commercial development, he asked me how I knew about so many industries. I corrected him. My real ability lies in spotting strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that the person in charge then acts accordingly and thus moves forward towards their commercial dream.

In other words, business mentors and coaches help others create added value within their own business, no matter how early stage or developed they are, small or large. Here are three case studies from firms I have worked with in the Jerusalem area.

A) Some years ago, I was mentoring a young couple who had returned from a long stay abroad, intending to set up a service company. They were keen, smart, dedicated, skillful, but were the first to admit that they knew very little about running a business Equally, I knew nothing about their field, yet we diligently went through the motions of talking about budgets, cash flow, marketing, team building and more. The progress appeared slow and eventually we agreed to part ways.

We kept in touch and I was fascinated to hear I they referred back to techniques I had taught. Today, they have an office in the centre of the city, employing four additional members of staff.

B) Josh was looking to set up an art studio. A dream of his youth, he was prepared to put in his life savings to make the project succeed. Sites were examined, budgets prepared, and plans were designed. However, when faced with my probing questions how all this was to convert into revenue, the sums never added up.

Josh found himself rethinking, which allowed himself to curtail his financial exposure. He has developed an approach, which is smaller in scale, but allows more revenue much quicker.

C) David has a large shop, open for nearly a decade. Each year, he has progressed, against all odds. However, last year, without realizing it, he lost control of the cash flow, and thus he has been fighting banks ever since.

Initially skeptical and after careful joint evaluation, David invested heavily in advertising an end-of-season sale. Contrary to national trends, David’s shop recorded bumper results. The campaign is now being extended.

The conclusion? No doubt about it. These small business owners took a calculated risk. They were the ones to think things through. They did the work to ensure a smooth operation. And fortunately, they were supported by an experienced business coach.