New York has a new online platform for Business Mentor NY, the state’s hands-on mentoring program designed to help spur growth among New York entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo this week announced the launch of the new online platform.
The state held an opening event at the Manhattan headquarters of Quirky, an invention company Cuomo’s office describes as “successful,” whose senior executives will serve as mentors in the program.
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Cuomo first announced the creation of Business Mentor NY in his State of the State address in January. It builds upon the volunteer-mentoring efforts that provided assistance to businesses that Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Lee, and Tropical Storm Lee affected.
The state has designed the website, www.businessmentor.ny.gov, to streamline the free mentoring process so that “experienced” professionals can help New York business owners, Cuomo’s office said in a news release.
The professionals represent a range of disciplines and are volunteering their time and expertise, the office added.
Through the website, participants may register online, review the profiles of potential mentors, and communicate directly with them on an as-needed basis and at no charge.
This new program, available at no cost, will help small businesses that are working to grow, Cuomo said in the news release.
“Helping small-business owners overcome obstacles and achieve greater success will in turn strengthen local economies and spur job creation. I commend the Quirky team and other volunteer mentors who will donate their time and expertise in order to help their fellow New Yorkers with reaching their full economic potential,” Cuomo said.
To date, more than 200 business professionals have volunteered to participate as mentors in Business Mentor NY, including lawyers, accountants, consultants, and other entrepreneurs; along with experts in the fields of finance, retail, communications and information technology, human resources and staffing, public relations, sales and marketing.
Through the website, small-business owners may research online profiles of potential experts to find a suitable mentor and reach out to the individual directly, Cuomo’s office said.
New York is conducting the program in partnership with MicroMentor, a proprietary online-mentoring platform that connects volunteer mentors with entrepreneurs.
MicroMentor, an initiative of the Portland, Ore.–based nonprofit Mercy Corps, has a “track record of success nationwide,” Cuomo’s office said.
MicroMentor has found that formal mentoring programs, such as Business Mentor NY, help businesses increase their annual revenue, create jobs, and launch successful businesses compared to companies that do not participate in mentoring programs.
“As New York State entrepreneurs use Business Mentor NY to connect with business professionals, they will turn their business dreams into realities and spur economic growth across the state,” Samantha Albery, director of MicroMentor, said in the news release.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
