Business Mentoring is the secret weapon for success
Cook Islands companies looking to grow their business or groom it for sale are discovering that the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme is their secret weapon in securing the edge for success.
A number of successful businesses including jewellery manufacturing, diving services, brewing and tourism have already benefitted from the Cook Islands’ participation as one of 10 Pacific Island countries to be included in this private sector programme, funded by New Zealand’s Aid Programme.
Kerry Burridge, Pacific Business Mentoring Programme Country Manager for the Cook Islands is in Rarotonga on the lookout for businesses which could best benefit from the scheme. She explains: `We can make a great difference by working with successful companies who really want to grow. I’m looking for smart, aspirational entrepreneurs who are ready to take the next step. Our mentors are some of the most experienced and successful businesspeople in New Zealand who are passionately committed to passing on their secrets of success to Cook Islands business owners.’
All interested business owners are invited to attend a presentation at the BTIB Training Room starting at 5 p.m. on 3rd May: both the presentation and the Mentoring Programme itself are free to eligible businesses.
The Pacific Business Mentoring Programme assists entrepreneurs in the Pacific to grow their businesses in a way that that creates jobs and economic growth in each country over time. There are already over 300 businesses enrolled in the programme throughout the Pacific and these businesses are benefiting from improved strategies, better financial control, opportunities for partnerships and joint ventures, as well as streamlined export distribution channels.
Kerry Burridge says: `The Mentoring programme helps improve business strategy and provides targeted training and upskilling for entrepreneurs and their key staff. Experienced independent NZ business mentors bring a fresh perspective to analysing business performance and identifying new opportunities. Often the range of expertise provided by the NZ mentors is simply not available in many small Pacific Island business communities.”
Kerry previously owned and managed her own multi-million dollar business, where she benefitted greatly from business mentoring. She later became a New Zealand Mentor, and then went on to design and implement the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme whilst at NZAID (now IDG), part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
She covers the Cook Islands, Tonga, Niue, Vanuatu, and Kiribati as well as managing the Pacific State Owned Enterprises (SOE) pilot programme, which is about to commence in the Cook Islands.
Kerry explains: ‘The situation in the Pacific over recent times has seen many business owners under pressure and having to cope in a very difficult economic environment. To survive and prosper in this environment is particularly challenging and this is where a business mentor can add a lot of value.”
Countries benefiting from the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme include the Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji.

Headlines : Times 290 02 March 2009
- Lucky $1,000 winner
- Century old palm trees and the French connection
- Koutu Nui takes part in Raui meeting in Moorea
- WOM Award Dinner for Ake Hosea-Winterflood
- Island of Atiu to host Koutu Nui AGM in June 2009