Business Mentoring
The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Business Mentoring Programme pairs early-career jewellers and silversmiths with experienced professionals for up to 12 months of one-to-one support. As a volunteer mentor, you’ll guide designers, makers and craftspeople through challenges, turn advice into action, and help build thriving businesses – all while making meaningful connections.
A free up to 12 month Business Mentoring Programme, offered by email invitation to jewellers and silversmiths that have completed the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Business Diagnostic and Advice.
Application window: Open all year and accepted on an ongoing basis.
Programme dates: Mentee matches take place in winter, with all mentorships starting in January.
Fee: Mentorships are offered at no cost following a successful matching process.
Like to know more? Apply now, join our next Q&A session to find out more about becoming mentor or just talk to our team! Call 020 7566 7650 or email applications@goldsmiths-centre.org
What is the Business Mentoring programme?
At the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we carefully match experienced professionals with emerging businesses that have completed a Business Diagnostic and Advice session for Jewellers and Silversmiths. Insights from this session form the foundation for the mentoring relationship. Participation is voluntary and free for both mentors and mentees following a successful match.
Mentees are matched with mentors whose specialism and experience align with their business goals. As a volunteer mentor, you will provide guidance across key areas, including:
- Finance: financial planning, cash flow, pricing architecture and margin improvements.
- Sales strategy: wholesale, direct-to-consumer and e-commerce trading.
- Marketing and customer development: positioning, CRM and performance.
- Product and range: costing, SKU discipline, supplier relationships and quality assurance.
- Operations: workflow, capacity, fulfilment and stock control.
“Rebecca Skeels was amazing and just what I needed at the place I was at with my business. Her ‘just go for it’ attitude has instilled confidence, helping me put new ideas into practice and progress as a maker and business owner.”
“Being a mentor is a fabulous opportunity to support someone’s next steps. The Goldsmiths’ Centre carefully matches mentors and mentees to work on goals, providing industry insight and a supportive relationship.”
FAQs
Whether you’re an industry veteran or passionate about the future of the jewellery and silversmithing industry, consider becoming a mentor. We welcome applications from senior professionals with 5+ years’ experience who can offer practical, real-world advice.
Our mentors bring experience from across luxury, design-led retail, and manufacturing, working as craftspeople, designers, or in supporting roles across retail, auction houses, the arts, marketing, and education.
Typical profiles include:
- Founders and directors with profit and loss responsibility
- Finance leaders (financial planning and analysis, management accounting, audit, corporate finance, CFO/FD)
- Commercial and retail leaders (wholesale, e-commerce, merchandising, category management)
- Marketing and brand strategies (performance, CRM, trading, pricing)
- Product, manufacturing and operations specialists (range planning, costing, supply, Quality Assurance)
As a mentor, you will:
- Give back: Offer independent, impartial advice and guidance on a voluntary basis.
- Set objectives: Use the first meeting to set clear objectives and practical arrangements for the partnership.
- Support: Listen openly and maintain confidentiality.
- Inspire: Share a fresh perspective and draw on your own experience to provide insight.
- Grow: Improve your skills such as active listening and coaching.
A typical mentoring partnership operates as follows:
- Duration: Up to 12 months.
- Meetings: Each mentor is usually paired with one mentee. Mentees usually schedule a minimum of 2–3 meetings every 4–6 weeks, which last 30 minutes to 2 hours each, online by default or in person if agreed.
- Scope: Clear ground rules on confidentiality, boundaries, availability and objectives are agreed at the first meeting, with timely communication with your mentee and the programme team. Progress is reviewed at the mid-point and conclusion.
- Support: You will receive light-touch oversight from the Goldsmiths’ Centre team, with a dedicated point of contact. Conflicts of interest are checked during matching, and re-matching support is provided if circumstances change.
Got more questions?
For individuals: If you’d like to become a business mentor, complete the online application form, detailing your areas of expertise and availability.
For membership bodies: If you represent a professional institution or trade association and would like to share this opportunity with your senior members, or nominate mentors directly, please contact the Goldsmiths’ Centre team at applications@goldsmiths-centre.org. We can provide a co-branded summary for newsletters, and dates for our next online Q&A.
To find out more about the application process and the course itself, read our Business Mentoring Pack and Application Guidelines below, or book yourself onto an Info session: