Mentors needed for small traders

CEBU CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program needs more established business owners to train new entrepreneurs.

“We have to fill in the gap…Our limitation is really on mentors. We need more light-minded and passionate mentors who will give their time, who will be committed to this and even willing to travel far,” KMME Visayas Head Coordinator Virgilio Espeleta said yesterday during the program’s first anniversary celebration at the City Sports Club.

KMME, a nationwide program launched last year, assists micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) improve and sustain their business through weekly coaching and training by business owners and practitioners.

The trainees go through a 12-week program on business disciplines such as business laws, marketing, finance and operations.

A total of 165 MSMEs in Central Visayas’ four provinces (Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor and Negros Oriental) have trained under the program since its implementation.

Espeleta noted that as more small business owners sign up for the program, the demand for competent advisers increases.

“Who can best be the ones to mentor and to be able to share? It’s those who have been able to experience all of these things. If you have no experience, then you might not be able to impart your knowledge,” he said.

The KMME in the region has only 40 mentors, who have to juggle their schedules and travel from one island to another, Espeleta said.

There are three kinds of mentors: inspirational speakers, whose stories are shared in hopes of fuelling the trainees’ drive; technical mentors who share their expertise in various business disciplines such as operations management, business laws and accounting; and those who voice out criticisms and recommendations as part of the panel once an MSME presents his or her thesis. (Kier Edison C. Belleza)