Business Mentoring Programme Guidelines and FAQs Overview
The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Business Mentoring Programme matches businesspeople or industry experts from a broad range of backgrounds and experience with emerging jewellery and silversmithing businesses. Many of our mentors are members of the Goldsmiths’ Company, a membership organisation that has contributed to national life for almost 700 years. Our mentors are either highly engaged with or interested in the jewellery industry or work directly in it as practising craftspeople, designers or in support functions across retail, auction houses, the arts, marketing and education.
Our team at the Goldsmiths’ Centre is here to champion and help emerging businesses to grow. Volunteering as a business mentor is a deeply rewarding experience, and we look forward to welcoming you to our mentor community. If you need any questions or need guidance before submitting your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team – we’re here to help.
Call our team at +44(0)20 7566 7650 or email applications@goldsmithscentre.org
Who can apply?
The Business Mentoring Programme is open to individuals who:
are willing to give independent advice and guidance free of charge.
have expertise in fields such as:
o Business planning, management or administration.
o Financial management, raising funds or finance.
o Marketing, branding, PR or digital marketing.
o Developing sales channels, exporting or e-commerce.
o Product design or development.
o Manufacturing, supply chain development or sourcing.
o Range planning.
o Costing and pricing.
can listen and keep in confidence the issues shared.
can use their own experience to provide insight.
How do you want to apply?
This section details how to apply and how you will be matched with a mentee.
Step 1: Read these guidelines to ensure that you understand the application process.
Step 2: You can register your interest and apply to take part in the Business Mentoring Programme through:
a. our online application form can be accessed via any standard web browser on a computer, tablet, smartphone. The application is estimated to take up to 5 minutes to complete. You can save and return to your application up until the application deadline. To make the process easier, you should have the relevant support documentation ready to upload, as listed in the accompanying guidance.
b. a video captured on your camera phone or computer and submitted via a file hosting service (such as a hidden Vimeo or YouTube link, Google Drive or Dropbox) to applications@goldsmithscentre.org – see our FAQs for a step by step guide on how to best capture your submission.
Step 3: You will need to provide the following information as part of your application:
Your name, email address, mobile phone number and/or landline number.
Which area(s) of expertise that you are willing to offer under the programme as per below. These will appear in the listing shared with your matched mentee.
o Business planning, management or administration.
o Financial management, raising funds or finance.
o Marketing, branding, PR or digital marketing.
o Developing sales channels, exporting or e-commerce.
o Product design or development.
o Manufacturing, supply chain development or sourcing.
o Range planning.
o Costing and pricing.
o Other (please specify).
A brief summary (a few paragraphs) of your expertise and experience, and any other relevant information you wish to provide to your potential mentee.
A picture of yourself to be shared with the potential mentee.
How often you would be willing to have a 1:1 session.
What time of day you would prefer these sessions to take place.
The maximum amount of sessions you would be prepared to have with your mentee .
The maximum number of individuals you would will to support.
Step 4: You will receive a confirmation link from applications@goldsmithscentre.org to say that your application form has been received. What happens next after applying?
Step 5: Our Goldsmiths’ Centre team will review your application and match you to an individual within our pool of mentees who best fits your profile. We will email you towards the end of 2025 to inform you of the potential match and once agreed, we will share your contact details with your mentee. We can’t promise to match every mentor with a mentee but will do our best to do so in this round of the programme or if necessary a later round.
We will inform you who your mentee is at the end of 2025. As a mentor, you will contact your mentee directly via email to set up your first session. Please regularly check your inbox and junk mail for correspondence from your potential mentee.
Step 6: We expect that the mentoring programme will consist of meetings and/or phone calls and/or email or other communications between you and your mentee from time to time. You will agree the content, frequency and duration of the mentoring partnership with your mentee. It is your responsibility to manage the relationship with your mentee as you consider appropriate.
Step 7: After 6 and 12 months, we will get in touch with you to receive feedback on your mentoring experience and to check whether both parties want to continue with the mentorship. We may also ask if you are happy to share your story with others, either anonymously or mentioning your name, and in that case, we will interview you and share your experience with other potential mentors and emerging businesses in the industry.
What are our terms and conditions of the Business Mentoring Programme?
The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Business Mentoring Programme supports emerging micro-businesses that have growth plans but need independent advice to move these plans forward to the next stage.
Please carefully read our terms and conditions which applies to every mentoring session that you agree to take part in. These have been designed to offer protection and peace of mind to both the mentor and the mentee and to ensure maximum safety and best collaboration between both parties.
The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s role: The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s involvement in the mentoring programme is limited to identifying the mentor and mentee from a pool of volunteers and introducing the mentors to the mentees.
We – the Goldsmiths’ Centre – do not have any other role in the operation of this programme, expect seeking feedback from both the mentors and mentees.
Confidentiality: All personal data submitted voluntarily through your application form will be shared with potential mentees and held securely on our database.
Your email address will be shared with your mentee once you have been matched. All information you hear or obtain from the mentee must be kept confidential by you indefinitely unless disclosure is permitted by the mentee or is required by law.
Respect: The mentoring scheme is free for mentees because our mentors generously give their time voluntarily. We make sure that our mentees realise that the majority of our mentors have busy fulltime jobs in senior leadership positions.
As a mentor, you will:
Provide independent advice and guidance free of charge.
Listen and keep in confidence the issues your mentee shares with you.
Draw on your own experience to provide insight.
Use your first meeting to draw up clear objectives for the partnership as well as practical details.
As a mentee, they will:
Provide accurate and truthful information through their application form.
Be respectful of your time.
Be responsible for scheduling and arranging the meetings with you.
Use your first meeting to draw up clear objectives for the partnership as well as practical details.
Be punctual and prepare for your sessions to make the best use of your opportunity.
Listen to your opinion but take responsibility for making their own choices.
Cancellations: If an upcoming meeting needs to be rescheduled or cancelled, you are responsible for contacting the mentee directly. You are required to contact the Goldsmiths’ Centre team if you wish to pause or cancel your participation in our Business Mentoring Programme.
Time commitment: Mentoring partnerships can last 6 to 12 months, although you may find you need less/more time to meet your objectives. In your first meeting you and your mentee will discuss how much time you can both realistically commit to the mentorship. Most partnerships meet every 4 to 6 weeks.
Judgement: While the mentoring process will support our mentee in their business development, the mentoring programme should be accompanied by objective judgment. As a mentor, you should advise your mentee to take suitable independent professional advice before acting on any information, suggestion, or guidance given by you.
We, the Goldsmiths’ Centre and you as a mentor will not, in any circumstances, be liable to the mentee or to any third party for any loss, cost or other liability which occurs as a result of, or in connection with providing mentoring services.
While, we - the Goldsmiths’ Centre - have made every effort to ensure that mentoring provided through this service is of high quality and relevant to applicants, we cannot guarantee the integrity, quality or accuracy of the advice of guidance provided by our mentors.
Feedback: You may get in touch with Goldsmiths’ Centre at any point during the mentoring partnership by emailing applications@goldsmithscentre.org
You will be asked to email us once your first meeting has taken place and when you and your mentee wish to end the mentorship. The Goldsmiths’ Centre team will email you 6 months and 12 months into your mentoring partnership. We expect you to respond to both emails. This information is crucial in steering the future of the programme and helps us to monitor the impact of the scheme. Giving feedback is a requirement of the mentoring scheme.
When things don’t work out: Sometimes things don’t work out. This can be to do with circumstances changing, practicalities or a lack of connection. If the fit doesn’t feel right, circumstances have changed or there is a conflict of interest you should agree to end the partnership and inform the Goldsmiths’ Centre immediately. We will then look to re-match you with someone else. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you feel uncomfortable about any aspect of the mentoring relationship.
Is it possible to apply in other ways than the written application form?
Yes, you can submit a simple video captured on your camera phone or computer by following the steps below:
Step 1: Decide the format: Before you start filming, familiarise yourself with the questions in the application form and how you can best present your case through video.
Step 2: Write your script: Start by introducing yourself and then film a response to each question / section of the application form citing the number of each section in the application. Make sure your film is no longer than 20 minutes in total.
Step 3: Rehearse: It’s important to know what you’re going to say in your video, so write a short script and rehearse what you are going to say beforehand until you’re completely comfortable. You may want to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Make sure to speak clearly and slowly, and let your personality shine through.
Step 4: Shoot your video: You don't need to buy or hire expensive equipment to create your video. You can simply use the camera on your smartphone (although you will need a tripod, something to prop your phone onto or a friend to film you) or a computer.
Set aside a few hours so there’s no time pressure – you’ll want to do as many takes as necessary to get it right. You should always film in a welllit, indoor location with as little background noise as possible. Don’t film against a window; rather use it as natural side lighting. Do some test runs first to make sure the lighting is bright enough and the audio is clear on speakers and headphones – it can also be invaluable to have a friend record with you to get an alternative perspective.
Step 5: Submit your video application: Once you've saved your video in a common format such as MOV, MP4 or AVI, you can share your file via Google drive or Dropbox. You can also upload your video as a hidden video on Youtube or Vimeo and provide us with the link to applications@goldsmiths-centre.org